


Two Pairs Of Size 8 Children's Sneakers

by orphan_account



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst, Arc Reactor Issues, Brian Banner's A+ Parenting, Deaged Bruce, Eventual Deaged Tony, Fury's Gonna Bust A Fuse, Gen, Genius children, Howard Stark Is a Dick, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Kidnapping, Neglect, Now With More Plot, Past Child Abuse, Poor Phil, Poptarts, Protective Hulk, Stuff Blowing Up, Team Bonding, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-12
Updated: 2014-08-05
Packaged: 2018-01-12 03:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 67,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1181562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nobody ever said that the life of an Avenger was easy. But nobody ever said that people were going to be regressed to the age of four either.</p><p>*Now With Little!Tony*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Overgrown Lab Coats and Miniature Scientists

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Toxic levels of cuteness and fluff that will taper off about three chapters through to a healthy dose of angst. It looks like we have major humor, team bonding, and frustrated super heroes on the horizon with showers of Nick Fury's fury and Phil Coulson's and the Avengers (minus Bruce and eventually Tony) babysitting skills. Unfortunately it looks like the roads might be slick with mentions of child abuse and neglect, so keep an eye open for that and read carefully. If you get stranded in the world of fluff, stay by your computer. Make sure you have hot cocoa and chocolate. Wait for the computer start to die before you go anywhere.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.  
> Notes: This is going to be my first attempt at a lengthy Avenger's fic, and it's going to be about deaging, which is just the best in my opinion. It's going to start with little Bruce and eventually Tony will screw up and become deaged too. Please leave a review if you liked (or didn't)!

They had found Bruce in the lab, albeit it wasn't the same Bruce who had gone down to work on some top secret project at eight o'clock at night. Bruce had been held up in his lab for the past week, quietly giddy. He ate very little, and drank even less, sticking to coffee and water. It wasn't uncommon to stroll down the hall of Stark Tower and see Bruce eagerly studying some sort of sample or the other; peanut butter smeared carelessly over his face, a half eaten bag of pretzels thrown onto the floor in the scientist's haste to clear his work table. But when Bruce disappeared into his lab at eight, and no one, not even Tony, had seen him in three hours, they began to get worried. Or at least Natasha, Clint, Thor, and Steve did. Tony made a few sexual innuendoes that no one found amusing. 

Steve was the first to brave the lab. He was wearing casual jeans and a white t-shirt, which was a welcome alternative to the spangly get-up (as Tony would put it) that he seemed to wear like a second skin. However, as his foot pushed past the door barrier into what felt like near hostile and very restricted territory, he wished he taken the time to put on his suit. No time for the super soldier to be a wimp though. He moved the door the rest of the way, surprised beyond words to find the lab empty and unaltered. Tony, of course, shoved his way to the front of the group, but had to do a second take once he realized one Mr. Robert Bruce Banner was not in the facility. 

"I'm pretty sure we lost Bruce." Tony said, his voice echoing around the interior of the lab. Natasha came up beside him and studied the area for herself.

"So it seems." She replied dryly. Tony snickered, but everyone could tell it was forced. He shuffled, almost Bruce like, to the station where Bruce seemed to busy himself 90% of the time. The engineer's fingers brushed the marble work station, a frown buried deep on his face. 

"No Hulk, clearly." Steve interjected as he stepped up beside Tony. The genius waved him off as his eyes drifted to a place beyond the station. A long white lab coat was laying in a heap on the floor, along with brown khakis and a purple T-shirt. 

"Told you he wasn't wearing any clothes." Tony gloated as he walked over to the pile. It was bulkier than an average pile of clothes would be, but Tony was honestly afraid to move aside the coat and see what was burrowed underneath. He kneeled down and rocked back on his heels. He knew Bruce hadn't voluntarily stripped, he wasn't like that, but what other alternative was there? The clothes weren't ripped, and they seemed almost neat in their order. It hadn't been coincidental that they all ended up in a singular pile so neatly. 

Tony kicked aside the shoes and khakis and that was when he saw it. A little foot was sticking out from under the giant lab coat. It was pale, with a few notches where scabs were most likely picked off. With uncharacteristic hesitation, he pawed the top of the lab coat to reveal a head of bushy brown curls. _Oh no_. Tony had a sinking feeling settling in his stomach. Something had clearly gone terribly, terribly, inconceivably wrong.  
~

"What the hell are we supposed to do!" Natasha hissed as she buried her face in her hands, red curls falling into her face. Steve was pacing, a permanent frown on his lips and crease between his eyebrows. Thor was sitting up straight in the Stark Tower living room love seat, fiddling with a loose string on his casual T-shirt Jane bought him. Clint was leaning against the wall, being totally unhelpful as he observed his teammates. Tony, well Tony was holding about a thirty pound lump in his arms that was all wrapped up in a white lab coat. 

"Has this...I think I owe Fury another ten dollars." Steve sighed as he finally sat down next to Natasha. She just heaved a deep breath and controlled herself.

"We need to tell Fury, or _someone_ who can handle this and find out what happened." She reasoned. Tony just shook his head as he bounced from foot to foot. 

"No way Little Red. Fury will stick him in some petting zoo for sure." The billionaire dared a peek down at the young face nuzzled against his shoulder. "And why do I have to hold him?" 

"He's four years old, Tony! What are we supposed to tell Fury when we get called out on a mission and Hulk isn't jumping around bashing alien's faces in? I think it'll be more than noticeable if he's missing. Somehow somebody will find out and then Fury will have our asses." 

"Fury's going to have our asses anyway. Being the genius I am, I should be able to find a way to reverse whatever the hell Bruce did to himself in," -Tony snapped his fingers- "the amount of time it takes Thor to eat a poptart." Steve glared at him.

"And what do you expect to do with Bruce while you're down in the lab?" He interjected before Natasha could dish out her own biting retort.

"I expect you girls are going to watch him." Tony said, staring at each of his team members like they were stupid. Clint spoke up from his place against the wall.

"Tony, we have missions and stuff. Tasha and I have to go to Russia on a top secret field op. Thor, no doubt, has to be getting back to Asgard, and Steve has volunteered to help agents refine their combat skills at a camp in Africa." The archer said. His eyes drifted to the bundle in Tony's arms. He wasn't saying that he wasn't going to help, but as of right now, everyone was pretty much booked. 

"Great to know we're a big, helping family then. Despite popular belief, guys, I do have _work_ to do outside of just fixing up the MARK suits. Press conferences and social gatherings and other stuff that makes me want to shot off my own head, like galas and paperwork." Tony tired of bouncing so he lowered himself to the floor and crossed his legs.

"Looks like you're going to have to reschedule." Clint argued, pushing himself away from the wall and over to the center of the living room. 

"I _can't_ just reschedule, Birdbrain."

"Neither can we." Natasha spoke up. "Listen, Tony, you're going to have to get help from Coulson and Pepper while you try and reverse this..."-she gestured at the bundle resting on Tony's lap- "And we'll try and do our stuff as quickly as possible. Sure, none of us are exactly experts in pediatric care, but we can give it our best shot. So long as no alien forces rain down on Manhattan and Loki doesn't escape Asgard, we should be alright." She glanced over at Steve who was nodding slowly. 

"I must depart, but I will return with haste." Thor said suddenly. He swept to his feet and stormed out of the tower.

"Very befitting departure for a God of Thunder." Tony commented airly as he got to his feet and stole Thor's chair before Clint could claim it.

"Hey!" Clint whined, "You saw me eyeing that bitch!" 

"I'm with child." Tony smugly retorted as he shifted Bruce in his lap for more effect. Clint rolled his eyes and sulked, kneeling on the wood floor beside the couch. Natasha reached over and patted his head soothingly. 

"We have to go, Clint. Our jet has probably been waiting for at least an hour." Tasha said as he stood. Clint bit his lip and nodded. 

"Just let me grab my bow." He said as he rushed down the hall, disappearing into the bedroom Tony had made specifically for him. 

It wasn't long before Steve was gone too, and Tony was left alone in the love seat with Bruce perched awkwardly on his lap. Concerned that the child had yet to make a noise, Tony shifted the lab coat just enough to see the velvety soft eyelids covering Bruce's chocolatey brown eyes and the faint dusting of pink across the deaged cheeks. Bruce, being this little, was a snowy white, like, paler than anyone Tony's ever seen, except that one albino kid he knew growing up. The deep tan grown-up Bruce often adorned was missing, making the scientist seem younger and more virtuous. The tan, as Tony often saw it, was a symbol of Bruce's hiding and running and taking refuge in third world countries. But the white of his skin now sang another song; a song of Bruce's life before the Hulk became a leading force in it. 

Tony smiled a little at the smooth face of his science bro. He wanted to run down to the lab and leap right in on researching Bruce's work to try and find an antidote of sorts, but he couldn't just dump the kid down on the couch and leave him. If Bruce was anything like himself as a kid, he'd no doubt be scared and confused. Tony smoothed his hand over the kid's back and breathed in deeply. 

"JARVIS?" He called into the strangely silent room. His own voice echoed before the AI responded. 

"Sir, how may I be of assistance?" The British voice inquired. Tony looked down at the child still passed out on his lap.

"Um...could you call Pep for me? And uh...take Bruce's measurements. I think he's going to need a new wardrobe." 

"Certainly. Dr. Banner's measurements have been calculated and stored. I am dialing Ms. Potts now." The familiar sound of ringing met Tony's ears, putting him immediately at ease. It wasn't long before he heard the tired voice of one Pepper Potts. 

"Tony, this better be good. I'm exhausted and I'm trying to drive." She said. Tony smiled minutely, picturing his favorite woman hunched over the steering wheel, red hair askew, and wearing sweat pants, even though he knew she was probably wearing a pencil skirt and white blouse. 

"It's pretty good, Pep."

"Oh yeah?" She said condescendingly. "How good?"

"Steve just lost another ten bucks good."

"Oh." Tony could hear that her voice lifted slightly. She was finally taking him seriously. 

"Um, you might want to stop at Starbucks and get a coffee or something. I think you'll want to be wide awake when you get here. Hurry home, my dear." Tony signalled for JARVIS to cut the call before Pepper could respond. He leaned back in the chair and shifted Bruce as carefully as possible so that mat of curls Bruce called hair was tucked under his arm. He looked so peaceful like this; mouth slightly open, eyelids fluttering as he dreamed, chest rising and falling in an impeccable rhythm. Tony dared to brush his thumb over the turned four year old's cheek. The skin was baby smooth against the pad of his thumb. It had been so long since Tony had been around, let alone held something as precious and breakable as a toddler. He always thought that he'd have kids of his own someday, but it hadn't been something he prioritized. And now, with the Avengers and kicking alien ass...Tony wasn't sure if he wanted a child. Not that it'd be a burden or anything, but what he had going right now, something that seemed so easy...he didn't want to give up any of it, not even for a kid. 

Maybe he was being selfish. Tony had a habit of indulging in his own interests before others and all too often that was his downfall. He hadn't even talked to Pepper about it. Maybe she wanted kids and always assumed that if -when- they got married, they'd have them as time wore on, or maybe she never wanted kids. She was all about work afterall. Surely they could be happy without a child. Plenty of couples were childless by choice.

But this, Tony decided, this was nice. Even if his best friend had been deaged roughly four decades, and Tony was currently holding him in his lap, he enjoyed the peace on Little Bruce's face that was never on Big Bruce's. To think his science bro had once been this tiny, this innocent...it was a foreign feeling that was strangely warming and comforting in a way. 

Tony continued to muse until he heard the ding of an elevator and the subsequent swish of it opening. Pepper stepped out, wearing her pencil skirt and blouse and casual black high heels. A case was gripped in her hand, papers under her arm, and a cappuccino in her free hand. Her hair was pulled messily back into a bun, and her makeup was smudged.

"Tony...what is that?" She gestured to the bundle of white resting on him. She cautiously took a few steps forward, dropping the case and setting the papers down on an end table. Tony waited until the drink was also on the end table before speaking. 

"This," -Tony shifted the bundle around so Bruce's face peeked out between the folds of white- "is Doctor Robert Bruce Banner A.K.A The Incredible Hulk."

It was a good plan for Tony to wait until Pepper was no longer holding anything before revealing this piece of information because as soon as she saw the face of Bruce, she collapsed on the floor. Her heels clattered as they flew off of her feet. Her eyes were bright and wide, searching Tony's face for bullshit. However, the only thing she found was the conformation of the severity of the situation. 

"That's...Bruce?" She breathed as she regained herself. This was crazy. Bruce could not be naked four year old in Tony's arms right now. Fucked up shit like that just didn't happen. Tony was pulling the wool over her eyes for sure. With a huff, she stood back up and straightened her skirt. 

"In the flesh." Tony confirmed as he lifted the toddler higher for Pepper's inspection. She walked forward and peered at the boy, eyes dancing over every little detail. 

"It does have some of the same facial features as Bruce...but that doesn't mean I'm buying it."

"First of all...it? I'm sure Bruce would appreciate you calling miniature Bruce an 'it'. Also, this isn't a joke, Pep, although I wished I thought of something like this to pull on April's Fool's Day." Pepper rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean, Tony. I don't literally mean an 'it'. I'm sure he's a male. But the question remains unanswered; what the _hell_ are we supposed to do with him? You have meetings and galas booked for every day this week, and I'll be damned if I postpone them all _again_." 

"You might have to. We can't exactly drag along Bruce and I'm not going without you; I need some sort of distraction and force to keep me from gravitating towards the other lovely ladies." Tony winked at her and stood, positioning Bruce on his hip and careful to keep his modesty by wrapping the lab coat coat tighter around him. "If you'll excuse us, Ms. Potts, we're going to go down -er up rather- to Bruce's bedroom and get him some clothes." The pair marched off and as soon as they were out of earshot, Pepper groaned, flopped onto the couch, and dropped her head into her hands.

"JARVIS, is this really happening?" She asked mournfully. The AI was good source to go to when she wasn't sure if Tony was bullshitting her or not. 

"Unfortunately Sir is not lying this time. Dr. Banner has been regressed to the age of four." JARVIS informed solemnly. Pepper made an inaudible whining noise in the back of her throat. Of all the times for Tony to be telling the truth, it had to be under these circumstances. Of course.

Upstairs in Bruce's huge, specifically made bedroom with white walls and a purple rug that Tony installed just for kicks, said billionaire was digging through Bruce's closet to try and find the smallest item of clothing he could find. Finally, he came across some gray boxer shorts rolled up in an unopened package and a small purple t-shirt that he must have worn on the run. 

Tony pulled the clothing out of the closet and laid them on the floor next to Bruce, who was propped up against the wall. Tony didn't really want to remove the lab coat and reveal everything Bruce had to offer, but there was really no other option. Glancing back over his shoulder to make sure Pepper wasn't standing in the doorway, Tony unravelled the tiny body from the lab coat. Without hesitation, he slipped the gray shorts on over the skinny thighs and pulled the purple shirt over the kid's head. Surprisingly, the child didn't even stir. 

Tony kicked aside the lab coat and looked down at his friend. Bruce's t-shirt went all the way past his knees, and the boxer shorts were just hiding under the hem of the shirt. He'd have to have JARVIS order some clothes for Bruce and get them delivered. It wouldn't do it any good for Tony to go out baby shopping. Then Fury would definitely find out about their little predicament. 

He swept down and gathered Bruce into his arms, feeling the steady, strong thump of Bruce's heart against his own. Body heat radiated from him like a litter furnace, which was some cause for concern, but JARVIS had assured him earlier that Bruce was not suffering from a fever. Tony carried the child as smoothly as he could back to the living room where he found Pepper snoring on the couch. So much for her being shocked senseless. He shook his head and offered a tiny smile as he watched her leg spasm in sleep. God he hated that, especially when either he'd kick her by accident or vice versus. 

The genius brought Bruce to the kitchen and looked around. His stomach had been growling since he found Bruce in the lab, but since every other person in this god damned world wouldn't help him with his altered teammate, he hadn't gotten a chance to munch on anything. But Bruce was still cradled in his arms and there was no good spot to set him down. Sighing and resigning himself to a night without food, he went to his and Pepper's bedroom. 

The giant bed spanned across nearly a quarter of the even more giant room. Thick, cotton comforters were strewn haphazardly across the bed, and a few pillows were scattered on the floor. Pepper and Tony might have or might not have gotten into a little pillow fight this morning. Gold laced the pure wooden backrest to the bed, a vanity was stationed in the far corner with a mirror bigger than some T.V screens, and two dressers made of mahogany lined the walls. Other than that, the room was fairly empty. Tony like to keep it that way. The bedroom was meant for sleeping and sex, not extracurricular activities. 

He carried Bruce over to the bed and laid him down on Pepper's side. The shirt shifted and a corner of tender, milky white flesh poked out. Tony smoothed it down with his hand before crawling over Bruce to flop down on his side of the bed. It felt weird sharing the same room with a child, especially when said child was Bruce. The billionaire pushed the thoughts out of his head and nestled under the covers, drawing them up below Bruce's chin. He'd have to be careful not to kick or whack him in the middle of the night.

Easier said than done.


	2. Our First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Swearing and fluff and unedited, for I have to take a shower and hit the hay, I apologize for any errors.  
> Disclaimer: I own nothing  
> Notes: Second chapter, yea!

It was at the crack of six o'clock in the morning when Tony broke open one eye. Faint streaks of sunlight shone through the parted red curtains, and cast ominous shadows across the floor. Blankets and sheets were tangled up with Tony's legs, and the side of his face was sticky with drool. He arched his back, feeling it crack satisfactorily as he crossed his arms under his head, enjoying solitude and the quiet peace of morning.

The illusion was shattered, however, when he remember a little problem (literally) that went down yesterday. Sitting up as fast as he could, his head snapped around to search the room for Little Dr. Banner, who didn't happen to be where Tony left him. 

The billionaire cursed himself. He should have known better. Was he seriously so tired that he couldn't think about precautions? Bruce was a child, yes, but Tony wasn't sure if his blood was still radioactive or not. He very well could be a Hulk waiting to happen. As his little mental freakout commenced, Tony ripped the blanket off of him and stood up, socked feet silent against the floor. He had half a mind to call JARVIS and just ask where Bruce was, but he was smart enough to realize if Bruce remained in his room, JARVIS's voice would probably cause the kid a heart attack. 

Tony smoothed out the bottom on his AC/DC shirt before creeping around the end of the bed. The side of the bed Bruce had been sleeping on was rumpled, and the blankets were dangling off the edge of the bed, brushing the floor. Tony rested the palm of his hand on the pillow, one of Bruce's curly hairs on it. Worst case scenario was that Bruce had awoken shortly after Tony fell asleep, giving him an approximate nine hour head start. Tony doubted that he'd be able to get a taxi or plane ride, perhaps a bus ride...

Tony groaned and flopped down on the edge of the bed. The kid could be miles away from Manhattan by now with a potentially destructive Hulk inside of him. Tony cast a quick look once more around the room before calling out to JARVIS.

"Hey, J, is Bruce still in the tower?" He asked. He hoped the AI would have awoken him if Bruce left the tower, or even his room, but sometime JARVIS seemed to overlook those small details. 

"Yes, Sir. He is currently residing behind your night stand." JARVIS responded, his tone sounded exasperated. Tony shot to his feet and a wide smile split across his face. Peeking between the wooden legs of the night stand, he spotted the gray boxer shorts and purple T-shirt behind them. The genius kneeled on the floor and looked through the legs again and sure enough, Mini Bruce was hiding there, his skinny knees drawn up to his chest and wide brown eyes staring right back at Tony.

"Hey, bud." Tony greeted soothingly. He could only imagine how scared the toddler must be; waking up in a strange location in the same bed as a stranger...yeah Tony would have been pretty freaked too. 

"Can you come out?" Tony asked, really not wanted to have to physically move the night stand to get to Bruce. The toddler looked at him with worried and downright petrified eyes. Just the look in Bruce's eyes made Tony's skin crawl. No child at that age had a right to be scared of anything. Four years old was that fearless age when you thought you were Superman and refused to eat your peas and broccoli. Bruce, however, did not seem like a Superman wanna-be. He seemed much too alert and much too terrified to be a four year old boy. 

Tony watched Bruce watch him for a while before sighing and inching the stand away from Bruce. The toddler shrunk back against the wall, eyes widening a little more and fingers digging into the prickled, cold flesh on his knees. Tony instantly stopped his movement, guilt weighing in the pit of his stomach, along with worry. He had to be careful; he didn't want to scare Bruce so bad that the Hulk made an appearance, but he couldn't very well leave him behind their either, and something told Tony that Bruce wasn't going to willingly leave his perfect hiding spot. 

"Listen, you must be hungry...and confused. Let me talk to you." Tony kept his voice soft and low as to not alarm the child. All the while he coaxed Bruce out, he applauded himself with his obviously superior child skills. Then again, maybe it had nothing to do with Bruce being a child and everything to do with the child being Bruce. Tony blinked slowly at Bruce, mostly to gauge the reaction of the youngster. Bruce seemed nervous and unsure, but slowly his legs began to unfurl. Tony knew that it was probably the hunger driving him towards his action. Tony knew what it was like to finally relent to adult when his stomach was rumbling with hunger. 

Bruce inched out from behind the stand, brown eyes wider than the moon. His face was even paler than the previous night. Tony situated his legs underneath him in an attempt to be less intimidating. He'd read somewhere that when you were interacting with spooked animals you should try and lower or at least match their height so it doesn't seem like you're a threat. 

When Bruce was mostly out from behind the stand, wariness written in each little pocket in his face and caution burning like fire in his eyes, Tony began to speak again.

"What is the last thing you remember, bud?" He asked in a near whisper. Bruce's eyes drifted lower and he shrugged. Tony found it just slightly disconcerting that this apparent fear and distrust was already rich within Bruce. No child this young had a right to be nervous. Tony knew he had a few close calls with strangers in his younger days, but that was because he approached them first. 

"Um..." A low hum escaped Bruce's throat. Tony could hear his breath hitch. Those watery eyes lifted to his own again and Tony felt a little corner of his heart splinter. He couldn't begin to comprehend how scared the scientist must be. 

"It's okay, Bruce. Don't be nervous." He hoped his voice wasn't too demanding. The last thing he wanted to do was start to boss him around. 

"Falling asleep." Bruce whispered quickly, "Who-" He seemed to catch himself before the question left his lips. His face flushed slightly as he started warily at the man knelt before him.

"I'm Tony, a friend of your father's." Tony said, tapping his chest. The quiet ting of his nail against the arc reactor sounded through the room. At these words, Bruce blanched. A deep breath rattled through the boy's scrawny body. Tony's explanation of his identity hardly seemed to comfort Bruce, it fact in seemed to have the opposite effect. Bruce averted his eyes and shuffled his bare feet. His fingers picked at the rug nervously. 

Tony's brow furrowed together. "How about we get a little chow, hm? And I'll explain this whole dilemma to you." Tony stood up slowly enough not to alarm the kid. Bruce flinched anyway. Ignoring it as just natural nerves, Tony asked JARVIS to call Shawarma and have someone deliver them some food. "You like Shawarma Bruce? Oh, _everyone_ likes Shawarma." Tony said after he hung up the phone with the Shawarma people. "Alright, how about you come with me. I have someone I think you should meet, and I bet you're hungry for Shawarma and an explanation. Lucky you I'm a good multitasker." Tony allowed an easy smile to spread like butter across his face. Bruce seemed awkward and uncomfortable, a natural demeanor for Big Bruce, but with little Bruce it was odd. 

"Do you feel okay?" Tony asked, gathering his professionalism again. He turned back to the trembling four year old. Bruce's lips were pinched and his forehead creased with obvious worry and borderline stress. He allowed a tiny nod, no more than a near invisible tip of his head. His eyes drifted downward to his tiny bare feet. "Are your feet cold?" The billionaire questioned. Bruce shook his head a little too fast for Tony to be fully convinced, but he decided against confronting the kid about it. If Little Bruce was anything like Big Bruce, which Tony could tell was more than true, he would be hesitant to ask for anything. Not in the sense that he didn't admit weakness, but because he tried not to draw too much attention to himself. 

"All right, come on kiddo. We got people to see and Shawarma to eat." Tony offered Bruce a quirky smile. The child's mouth didn't even twitch as he followed submissively behind Tony. Tony couldn't help but think it was bothersome. Even though he'd never admit it out loud, he hated it when people trailed behind him like they weren't his equal. He had a big ego, but he wasn't above walking next to someone, let them be the President of the United States or a homeless man on the streets. 

The pair got into the elevator, which was kind of awkward for Tony, mostly because Bruce was pressing himself against the cool metal walls like Tony was about to maul him or do something else just as vicious. It hurt even more because Big Bruce was one of his best friends, and the only person Bruce seemed to be totally comfortable around. Little Bruce didn't share the same enthusiasm as Big Bruce in the pursuit of friendship, albeit he was an adult and Bruce was four. 

"Pepper is who I want to introduce you to. Be warned that she can be a bit bossy," Tony glanced over at Bruce and smiled smoothy, "Promise you won't tell her I said that? She's have my as- I mean butt if she knew." Bruce seemed uncertain but gave a tiny, passive nod. His brown eyes didn't waver from the doors.

The elevator dinged as it arrived on the same floor as the kitchen and living room. Tony walked out first with Bruce tagging along reluctantly. Tony was gobsmacked that the child hadn't cried, or screamed, or asked any questions at all, besides the question he started to ask back in the bedroom. 

"Tony?" Pepper's questioning voice sounded from the kitchen. Tony grinned at Bruce and steered them towards the kitchen. Pepper was behind the counter, wearing nothing more than a white tank top, mesh shorts, and a little overcoat and loafers. Her long red hair hung over her shoulders like a waterfall reflecting the sunset. 

"Hey, Pep. Our little man is bright eyed and bushy tailed." Tony gestured to the hunched over three foot tall four year old. Pepper leaned over the counter to catch a glimpse of Bruce. 

"Hey, honey." She greeted warmly as she moved around the counter and knelt down by him. "How are you doing?" Bruce shrugged and shuffled his feet again. Pepper shot Tony a look. "Has Tony offered to feed you yet? He's not very on top of things. You should see him when it comes to his homework." She smiled but Bruce didn't return the favor. Pepper straightened and chewed her lip in thought.

"Yes, Tony _has_ ordered some Shawarma for our guest. A kid had to eat right." Tony defend himself lightly. At he and Pepper locked eyes, a shared look of confusion and concern passed between them. Pepper sighed and looked back at Bruce.

"Those clothes don't fit that well. Tony does an awful job at picking out clothes. I...um...I have some better fitting clothes, I'll be right back." Pepper spun on her heel and went to the corner of the kitchen where three large white shopping bags sat. "I wasn't sure what you preferred," She began as she carried the bags over. "So I got a mixture of jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, shoes, and khakis. Whatever you want is yours, Bruce." She took out some of her favorite clothes; a purple t-shirt, gray jeans, brown khakis, and a pair of glowing Sketchers sneakers. 

"Will the shoes fit?" Tony asked as he bent down and scooped up the tiny sneaker. The size of the tongue read _8_. 

"I got his measurements from JARVIS," Pepper hissed to Tony. She didn't want to freak Bruce out by thinking someone sized him. The toddler was meanwhile preoccupied with examining his new clothing opinions anyway. 

"Oh, right." Tony crouched down and looked at the high quality jeans. "These are nice. I think you'd look nice in these." He held them up. Bruce's fingers brushed against the denim and he nodded minutely. "You like?" Tony handed him the jeans. Pepper crossed her arms.

"Can you dress yourself Bruce?" The toddler nodded quickly, blushing as he stared up at her. He hugged the jeans to his chest, along with the purple t-shirt and sneakers. "I got socks and underwear for you too." Pepper said as she bent down and took both packages out. He took those from her too.

"Where can I change?" He whispered, eyes downcast. Pepper had to lean in close to make sure he was really talking and not just sighing. 

"The bathroom is right over there, around that corner." She pointed around the nearest corner and Bruce nodded his thanks. He padded away, head hung and shoulders hunched in a much too similar stance as Big Bruce. As soon as they heard the bathroom door open and shut, Tony turned to Pepper.

"I need to think of an explanation and fast. He's a smart kid and will probably find some way to escape even JARVIS's eyes." 

"I don't know, Tony," Pepper rubbed her forehead. "He is very nervous. What have you told him so far?" 

"Just that I was a friend of his dad's. He didn't seem too impressed with that." Tony bent down and gather back up the bags. "Mom's already shopping for our little sprout. How sweet." Pepper smacked his arm.

"Tony, stop. This is serious," She began to pace a back and forth, chewing absentmindedly on her thumb nail. "I suppose we could tell him that his parents had to go because...because his grandmother was in the hospital."

"Sensitive, Pepper. What if he doesn't have a grandmother?"

"It's as good as shot as any. Not to mention that he is still an adult and will eventually be an adult again. It's not like we're ruining his whole childhood or anything. " She reasoned. Tony had to admit she had a point, but he didn't have time to say so before Bruce appeared around the corner again. The shirt was a little big, but Bruce was scrawnier than a scarecrow in a hurricane. The pants seemed the proper length, but they hung a little low on his hips. Each step Bruce took towards the adults caused his sneakers to light up. Pepper and Tony couldn't help a bright smile from crossing their faces. Bruce seemed to be more relaxed now that he was in proper fitting clothes, but he still stopped a good few feet away from them.

"Sir, the Shawarma delivery man has arrived." JARVIS said suddenly, cutting into the silence. Bruce jumped half a mile in the air, eyes shooting open wide. Tony fought back a laugh at the shocked expression. 

"Thanks, J. Send him up, would you?"

"Certainly Sir." 

"I meant to say earlier that Shawarma was a totally _healthy_ choice, Tony." Pepper said, voice laced with sarcasm. Bruce bit back a chuckle, a faint smile dusting his lips. Tony didn't bother hide his goofy grin at the promise of a smile. It made him happy that Bruce was finally beginning to relax. It might Tony feel like Bruce was his science bro again. 

The elevator in the living room dinged as the delivery man rode up. Pepper hurried to meet him before the elevator doors opened.

"You're going to love Shawarma. There's so many...semi-great memories attach to the food," Tony smoothed his hand across his stomach. "So, I promised an explanation and you, my friend, will get one," -he laced his hands together- "Your grandmother...she had to go into the hospital because of an emergency, and your dad called me to come pick you up. You were knocked out cold, so you slept the entire plane ride to Manhattan." Bruce seemed to calculate the half-assed explanation, and nodded slowly as he bought it. Tony could still see a spark of distrust and caution in his eyes though. 

"How do you...uh, how do you know my dad?" Bruce asked quietly, copying Tony's move and lacing his own fingers together.

"We worked together...briefly." Tony said and was saved by the bell when Pepper came into the room with a large brown bag. 

"Really Tony? There's like ten pounds of Shawarma here." She sat the bag on the counter and took out the food: two hamburgers, three wraps, sauce of every sort, a BLT with no cheese, and two 2-liters of Pepsi. "Breakfast is served." She announced dryly, shaking her head. Tony grinned and asked Bruce what he wanted. The kid settled for the BLT, which Tony assumed he'd want. He also offered Bruce some soda, but he politely denied and opted for some orange juice. Pepper approved. 

~

Once they finished off a majority of the food and one 2-liter, Tony could tell Bruce wasn't getting anxious. It was subtle, but noticeable. He kept looking around the room; at the ceiling and floor, studying the ornate paintings on the walls. One seemed to catch his eye and studied it for a while. It was a picture that Steve drew (and Tony reluctantly agreed to hang for team spirit) of the Avengers. It wasn't entirely accurate, but it was easy enough to tell who was who. 

In the picture, Tony was near the center of the group, clad in every bit of armor besides the face plate. His arm was slung over Bruce's shoulder. Said physicist had an awkward, tiny smile on his face, and a pen was held between his fingers. He was wearing only a billowing purple button up and brown khakis. Clint was next to Bruce, a smug smile on his face as he held his bow. One leg was positioned behind him in a casual resting stance. Steve was next to Tony, a determined look on his face and dirt smudged his blonde hair. Natasha was next to Clint, red hair a little longer than Tony remembered it being. Her catsuit was dusty, which told a tale of a battle she completed victoriously. Lastly, Thor was next to Steve, a box of Poptarts in his raised hand. A triumph smile was on his handsome features. 

Little Bruce seemed totally taken with the drawing. Tony leaned over his shoulder and studied it with him.

"You like art?" Tony's voice jumped Bruce, but the four year old nodded. 

"Those are my...well my allies," Tony pointed to the picture, unsure whether or not Bruce could tell who he was pointing at or not. "See that man in the purple next to me? That's my best friend, my science bro. He's...in a bit of a tough situation right now, but we're _I'm_ trying my hardest to help him out of it." Bruce's eyes finally dragged away from the picture and rested on Tony.

"Like what?"

"He...well he kind of has amnesia...in a way. I see him often, but he's not the same. He will be soon though." Tony offered Little Bruce a smile that crinkled up his eyes. Pepper watched the smooth interaction between the two. She could tell, even if one was a child and one was an adult that they'd be best friends. Standing up, she smoothed down her tank top. 

"You two might have the day off, but I have work to do. _Your_ work to do, Tony." Tony waved her off.

"Don't over exert yourself. Only do like...56% of the work."

"How about 12%." She smiled at him as she walked off before Tony could reply. He watched her leave with an unhidden fondness in his eyes. It was rare that he could find someone who could handle all his antics and grand schemes, and caustic attitude. There was Pepper and Bruce and sometimes Rodney, but other than that he found himself on the outs with a lot of people. Fury's description of him had been accurate; he didn't play well with people, unless said people were Bruce or Pepper. 

Tony turned back to the toddler sitting next to him and dared to bump his shoulder lightly with his own. Bruce seemed uncomfortable and surprised by the move, but he didn't scooch away. 

"How about we go do something," Tony rubbed his hands together. "Do you like the zoo? Ever been to the Central Park Zoo?" Bruce thought for a moment.

"I've never been there, but I like seeing bears." Bruce ventured. Tony was overjoyed that Bruce was finally more talkative, but he could still see the obvious hesitation in every word he spoke. It was like he was afraid to say _anything_. 

"Alright, to the zoo we go!" Tony jumped up. "JARVIS, call Happy for me. Actually, scratch that. I'm driving." The AI didn't even bother to answer him. The billionaire turned back to Bruce.

"You might be a little chilly. Want a sweatshirt?" Bruce nodded and got up to get the sweatshirt for himself. Tony watched his friend pad away, shoes lighting up with each step. 

~

The ride to the Central Park Zoo was mostly quiet with Tony occasionally pointing out landmarks. After a while seeing all the sights of New York City is became mundane. He'd been to every remotely notable place in New York and after the first dozen galas, they all really lost their initial glamour. 

Tony pulled up to the Zoo, psyched to see that the crowds were minimum. "Ready, bud?" He asked, unbuckling both him and Bruce's seatbelt. Bruce peered out the window and nodded. The giant sign reading 'Central Park Zoo' loomed and Tony, although having visited before with Pepper, was excited to visit it with Bruce. To see the awe in the youngster's eyes would make Tony's heart swell. It would be such a welcome change to Bruce's near permanent worry. 

Bruce allowed a minuscule smile to dance across his face, the first real smile Tony had seen out of him all day. His brilliant brown eyes were alight with excitement and the frown between his eyebrows had smoothed over. Today was going to be a fun day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review if you have a moment or two (Did you see that, it _rhymed_ !) Day at the Zoo will be next!


	3. Menagerie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Tony and Bruce's adventure at the zoo.
> 
> Forecast update: The angst that was supposed to shower down around this time seemed to have been set back a few chapters. Instead, there will be flurries of fluff throughout the chapter.
> 
> Also, this is very unedited and not at all betaed. I need to just post it.

"Tony, look!" Bruce said, excitement lightening his voice. Happiness and unrestrained glee shone in his eyes and a huge grin split open his face. His initial hesitation and caution seemed to be displaced by the obvious enjoyment he was feeling. However, Bruce still kept his voice low and opinion-stating to a minimum. Tony was just glad to see the turned toddler loosen up a bit.

"What is it bud?" Tony asked, joining Bruce by the metal chain link fence. Bruce pointed through the gaps at the large moose half hidden behind a large tree. The soft, reddish brown velvet of the antlers was peeking out through the tangle of green and dark brown vines and leaves. The rusty mahogany of the moose's flank was visible through a swath of dipped ferns. Tony peered through the dense throng of trees and bushes, spotting the moose. He grinned down at Bruce.

"Isn't he pretty?" Bruce awed, fingers tangled through the metal links. Tony adored the playful, warm glint in those usually so guarded chocolate colored eyes. Tony nodded almost thoughtfully. 

'If I was him, I wouldn't like being called pretty. Handsome and sexy maybe." Tony said after a moment. Bruce let out a little laugh.

"Yeah, handsome." He agreed. They watched the moose for a little longer, but the colossal animal seemed to be sleeping, or at least unimpressed with the two humans watching him, so they wandered gradually off. Bruce skipped down the concrete, taking a brief look at the turtle pond. 

"Not interested in the marine?" Tony asked. Bruce glanced back at him and shrugged, tugging at the shoulders of his sweater. 

"They're okay." Bruce explained passively. The billionaire looked at him for a moment.

"They're not that interesting." He reassured. Bruce smiled and bounded ahead again. Tony could tell Bruce was enjoying himself and that was all fine and dandy, but he couldn't keep the lab out of his mind. He needed to start on the research to turn Bruce back. He wanted to keep the kid happy, but the bottom line was that Bruce needed to be turned back to Big Bruce. Pepper would have to keep track of him while Tony spent the majority of his day in the lab. That is until the rest of the Avengers decided to pull their weight. 

"Look at the polar bear." Bruce gasped, from inside a metal cave dug into the ground. Tony trotted down the steps to join him. The huge white bear was coasting underneath the water, hulking paws propelling it through the water like a fish. Bruce had his face pressed against the glass, breath fogging it up. Every time the bear turned in the water, its pearly black eyes meeting Tony and Bruce's. 

"The only thing this scene is missing is a Coca-Cola bottle." Tony joked lightly. Bruce didn't really seem to catch on to it, but that didn't deter his chuckle. He rose onto his toes, watching the bear swim back and forth, back and forth. While Bruce seemed captivated by the natural elegance of the creature, Tony got bored of watching it. He lowered himself onto the provided bench and took out his Stark Phone. 

_Can u watch Bruce when we get home?_ He sent the message to Pepper, tapping his foot as he waited for her reply. 

_Sure. What time r u getting back?_ Pepper replied, prompt as always.

_Idk. Tssk Tssk Pep, texting during a meeting?_

_Uh-huh. Maybe if u came 2 one every once in awhile you'd undrstnd* y im texting_

_Admit it. U no im just irresistible_

_Maybe ur irresistible 12% of the time_

Tony decided not to respond. It was just like Pepper to throw something like that back in his face. Geez, women could sure exploit one little comment and hold it over men's heads for all of eternity, couldn't they? He watched Bruce play with the polar bear through the glass a little longer before deciding that if they were going to get home at a remotely reasonable hour, they should probably go see the rest of the zoo. Tony stood and clapped his hands against his thighs.

"C'mon Bruce. I think Big White needs a break." He said cheerfully. The kid didn't even argue at all, even though disappointment flashed through his eyes. Tony could vaguely remember his blatant disobedience and rebelliousness towards his parents that last all throughout his childhood and adolescence. Although Tony would never admit it to himself, he knew it was because he seeked attention, of any sort. Whether it be reprimand or praise. The latter was inexplicably harder to obtain. 

Shaking off his own pity, he gently steered Bruce out of the cave with a feather light touch on his shoulder. Bruce seemed mildly uncomfortable with the physical action, but he didn't jump or shake of Tony's hand. That was a definite plus. The pair stopped at various exhibits, watching the exotic and something common animals enjoying the attention and warm sunlight despite the breeze. Bruce, much to Tony's not-so-concealed amusement, took time to read the paragraphs about each of the animals. He didn't ask any questions, but Tony could see the curiosity burning like wild fire in his eyes. It hurt him a little to think that either A) Bruce didn't want to be a burden and ask too many questions or B) Didn't think Tony was smart enough to answer any of said questions. 

After visiting every enclosure and thoroughly observing each (interesting) animal in their habitat, it was about three by the time they were leaving. Not to be called a bad babysitter, Tony offered to buy Bruce something at the gift shop. 

"I think you'd been into the kickass science books they have in there. Not physics or chemistry or anything _truly_ interesting, but they have some animal books. Or maybe I'm generalizing you too much. Perhaps a stuffy? I always like playing- but you know. Whatever." Tony blabbed and ended with a shrug. Bruce's amused smile made Tony smile too, but Bruce made no move towards the gift shop. "So...a book? Toy? Candy? Whatever you want bud."

"I don't know." Bruce mumbled, shifting back into his awkward phase. His eyes locked on a split in the concrete. He poked at it with his toe. Tony frowned. What happened? The toddler had just started to open up and reveal his true colors and now...well now it seemed like they were back on page one. 

"How about all three?" Bruce's head snapped up at that. Tony could see the hopefulness in his friend's young eyes, but also the uncertainty and disbelief. Had no one ever offered for Bruce to go inside a gift store and buy something before? Tony didn't know much about Bruce's family, but he thought that his father was a scientist. They might not have been the richest folk, but surely an accomplished scientist like Bruce's father made a decent coin. Or maybe he was just cheap.

"All three it is then." Tony pretended to ignore the obvious hesitation ridden in Bruce's body. It would do no good for him to press the little guy, especially when he didn't know if Bruce's blood was still radioactive or not. 

They walked inside the gift store, instantly swarmed by much too eager employees and too loud music. Bruce cowered behind Tony's keeping his back to the door as if he'd need an emergency escape route. Despite the fact that there were several other shoppers in the gift shop, the employees made it their top priority to see specifically to him. Figures. 

"Iron Man?" A woman's voice said in disbelief. A young girl, barely 21 if Tony had to guess, rushed forward, blond hair bouncing over her shoulders. A huge, shocked smile was on her face and her blue eyes were burning bright. "Would you sign this?" She held out what Tony thought was a napkin. Grimacing, he looked it over to make sure it wasn't used before turning on his charming smile.

"Anything for a beautiful woman." He flirted casually as he unclipped his pen from his breast pocket. He sighed the napkin quickly and handed it back to her. He ignored the high pitched squeal that escaped her throat. She folded it delicately and slipped it into her purse. 

"I just wanted you to know I'm your biggest fan."

"I think Pepper had you beat there." She laughed at that.

"Oh," Her eyes caught sight of the curly head just visible behind Tony's legs. "Are you...is this your son?" A shocked look passed over her face as she returned her eyes to his.

"Um..." Tony said dumbly, peeking behind him at his deaged friend clinging to his leg. "Him? No. He's my...uh nephew." The girl stared quizzically at him. 

"I didn't think you had any siblings." 

"He's not _actually_ my nephew," Tony sighed as he thought up a somewhat believable excuse. "He's Clint's, er, Hawkeye's son. But you know, he's like family." He offered her a gracious smile as he grabbed a hold of Bruce's wrist and pulled him along behind him as they hurried away. However, before he was out of earshot, he heard the sharp gasp of the fan as she processed the information. 

_Fuck. Legolas was going to kill him._ Tony thought bitterly as he pulled Bruce to the stuffed animals rack. He heard the fan girl squealing as she gossiped about Clint's "son" to the employees and other shoppers. As the crowds around them gradually dispersed, Bruce relaxed visibly. Prying himself out of Tony's hand, he thumbed through the layers of stuffed animals. Although his fingers passed right over it, Bruce hesitated in the slightest when he caught sight of a penguin. It was small, about the size of Tony's palm, and had thick, cheap white and black fur. Small, almost peevish, pearly black eyes were glued lopsided to the penguin's face and the beak was a pale orange. Tony didn't think it looked like all that, especially not when it was stuffed between a grinning chimpanzee and lion cub, but Bruce was taken with it. 

Seeing the toddler wouldn't take the initiative and reveal what he wanted, Tony pulled the penguin off of the shelf and looked it over, Bruce's eyes carefully watching him. "This one has personality." Tony commented truthfully. Not the most attractive, but with definite personality. 

"Yeah..." Bruce agreed nonchalantly, wringing his hands together in an all too familiar motion. Tony waggled the stuffy. 

"You like this one?" Bruce shrugged.

"It's okay...yeah, he's cool." The nervous toddler said quietly. Tony smirked and looked over the penguin once more. 

"Penguin it is then," Tony tucked the stuffy under his arm. "Candy now?" Bruce followed Tony over to the clear boxes all filled with candy. Smarties, Jelly Beans, Sour Patch Kids, Baby Bottles, and M&Ms. There were also Skybars, Hershey's, Skittles, and Reese Peanut Butter Cups. Tony licked his lips. "Yum. What kind of candy do you like Bruce?"

"I don't know." Bruce said as he studied each treat like it was a complex algebraic formula. "I've never had any before." Tony clapped Bruce on the shoulder in shock. He pretended not to notice when Bruce jerked away from the sudden pressure on his shoulder.

"You've never had _candy_ ? Seriously?" The billionaire gasped. Shaking his head, he grabbed one of the plastic bags provided and filled it to the brim with every available candy. "Than you, my good sir, are going to eat so much candy you are going to throw up." Bruce's eyes widened.

"Really?" He squeaked.

"Yeah, well no, not really. But you can try." Tony led the way to the childish books all sitting in a stack on a bookshelf. Bruce combed through them until he came across a book about the evolution of wolves. Hugging it to his chest, he cast a look up at Tony. It was damn near pleading, yet hopeless. Not one to disappoint, he nodded, voiced his agreement of Bruce's choice, and purchased the items. 

Walking back to the car, Bruce gathered all of his purchases in his arms, hugging them to his chest. The flat head on the penguin was nestled under his chin. Tony couldn't hide how heartrendingly cute it was. 

~

"Welcome back." Pepper said as the elevator dinged and Tony and Bruce stepped out. She was holding a bowl and wearing a flour dusted apron. Tony quirked his eyebrow.

"You never cook, Pep. What's the occasion?" He teased. Bruce, still clinging onto his newly bought possessions, made his way over to the couch and flopped down. He opened his book to the first page, drew his knees to his chest, and rested both the penguin and book in his lap so it appeared that the stuffy was reading too. 

"No occasion." She smiled and glanced over at Bruce. "I figured our little man could use a taste of homemade cookies," -she shrugged- "No promises though. I'm a businesswoman not a baker." Tony went over and peeked at the light brown dough sprinkled with chocolate chips. He dipped his fingers in the dough and ate it, smacking his lips.

"Taste genuine."

"That's how people get salmonella you know." She reprimanded lightly. "As happy as I am that you like it," -she added in a lower voice- "I think it's time you should start on that research. He's adorable but...I have a hunch The Avengers are going to need Hulk." Tony nodded and ate a bit more batter.

"You're right." Tony said, looking at Bruce who was completely engrossed in his book.

"I'm _always_ right." Pepper swooped in and kissed him lightly on the lips. A moment of silence passed between them as the watched Bruce.

"You're always right 12% of the time." He countered lightheartedly. She smacked him but didn't bother to respond. Instead, she went back to the kitchen to finish her cookies. Tony padded over to Bruce and crouched in front of him. Bruce's brown eyes tore away from the book and met his. 

"Hey, I have some work to do, so Pepper," -he pointed towards the kitchen- "is going to be here with you. And she's baking cookies, which she's never done before. I'm sure she won't poison you though." Bruce chuckled. 

"I will see you soon?" He asked, pulling the penguin closer to him. Tony patted his little knees as he stood. 

"Of course. I'll be back before Pepper has a chance to tuck you in." He smiled and Bruce nodded and smiled back. 

_~_

Tony sighed as he studied Bruce's research. It would appear that he was working, once again, on a cure to the Hulk. Tony wasn't going to say that he was totally gobsmacked, but at the same time he thought the Avengers had something beautiful going, _with_ the Hulk. Who, mind you, saved the world during Loki's attack on New York. It was semi heartbreaking to think that that feat meant very little to Bruce. He still saw Hulk as some uncontrollable beast with a narrow mind and one emotion; anger. Tony, and every other Avenger, besides maybe Natasha who was still a little bit jumpy around the big guy, saw Hulk's true colors. Angry, yes, was protective too. He knew, they all did, that Hulk didn't smash people because it was fun (okay, maybe sometimes, but that relates more to objects than people) but because he thought they posed a genuine threat to Bruce. The Hulk's job, in essence, was to protect Bruce and make sure he was safe. It was the reason the Hulk was created after all. 

Nevertheless, this field was more up Bruce's alley, not Tony's. He was an engineer, not a chemist. He didn't know what the hell Bruce managed to do to himself and what he was really trying to do. Given the data, however, Tony assumed Bruce was trying to alter his cells and get rid of the Hulk presence so obviously on them. Those angry, inflamed, green cells which harbored the basest being of Hulk. But obviously the injection Bruce gave himself didn't get rid of the Hulk, at least not singularly. As Tony saw it, there were two possibilities. Possibility A was that Bruce managed to rid himself of Big Green, but in the process and unfortunate and unforeseen side effect occurred deaging Bruce to the age of four. Possibility B (Tony harbored a greater liking towards this one) was that Bruce did not successfully delete the Hulk and instead the injection made him regress to the age of four. 

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose. He was definitely smart enough to figure this out, but given the nature of the science...well it would be akin to putting together a puzzle without the picture. But he could do it. Fortunately, Bruce was very organized and what information he did write down was all neatly stacked and all of his blood samples (Tony needed to make sure SHIELD didn't know about this) and other samples were on a rack, labeled accordingly. Unfortunately, Bruce wrote down very little. Knowing that Bruce was both big on his privacy and slightly paranoid, albeit with good reason, that someone would stumble across it and attempt to make another Hulk (hence the Abomination) it came as no surprise. It was the very reason Bruce requested that his lab be private with Tony the only one able to gain access without Bruce's permission and JARVIS not being able to see and record anything in the lab. 

That man could sure be a headache sometimes. Tony shook his head and got back to work. 

_~_

The cookies had been delicious. Easily the best Bruce had every had, or so he told her. Pepper had eaten two or three and thought they were great for her first time. Bruce had stuck to one and dipped it in the glass of milk Pepper provided. Now they were snuggled, sort of, on the couch and watching Monster's Inc. Bruce's favorite character was the little one-eyed green guy. Pepper couldn't recall his name. 

The movie ended around five, and by that time Bruce seemed bored with the T.V. Genius children were easily the hardest to keep busy. Bruce was clearly very intelligent at this age, if his well-tuned motor skills and reading abilities were anything to go by. 

"What do you want to do now?" Pepper asked. Bruce shrugged and yawned, hugging his penguin closer to him. A moment of silence passed before Bruce worked up the courage to ask Pepper a question. 

"When will Mommy come and get me?" He asked in a quiet voice. Brown eyes too big for his little face turned up to face her. Pepper felt her heart break. She placed one hand gently atop his head and offered a tiny smile. 

"Soon, darling. Daddy and Mommy will come and get you soon." She reassured. Her words seemed to have the opposite effect though. Bruce scrunched up his face and hid it in the feathers of the penguin. When she tried to comfort him, he shied away, inched to the opposite end of the couch. _What did I say wrong?_ Pepper thought, confusion written across her face. It was odd of Bruce to go from snuggling to being withdrawn and totally opposed to human contact. It was _very_ odd. 

_~_

Tony got back from Bruce's lab at around eight. Pepper had worked on her Stark tablet and Bruce had mostly read. He was surprised to walk in and feel the tension thick in the air and see Pepper and Bruce icily ignoring each other as they sat at opposite ends of the couch. 

"Daddy's home!" Tony greeted as he stepped it, sneakers smacking against the floor as he kicked them off. Bruce jumped visibly before relaxing at the sight of Tony. Unfurling himself, the toddler rushed over and latched himself to his leg. The billionaire reached down to ruffle his hair. 

"I think Bruce is ready for bed." Pepper said, looking over her shoulder at her boyfriend. Tony nodded, dark circles already under Bruce's eyes. 

"You ready for bed bud?" He asked. Bruce nodded and detached himself from Tony's leg. He padded back over to the couch and gathered his gift shop possessions, minus the candy that was sitting half-eaten on the coffee table, and headed back towards Tony. Bidding goodnight to Pepper, they both went up to Bruce's bedroom. 

After getting Bruce into pajamas (a polka dot onesie) and brushing his teeth and hair (and using the bathroom before bed) Tony knelt down by the bed while Bruce pulled the thick blankets up to his chin. The penguin was tucked under Bruce's arm and the book was laid next to him in the giant bed. 

"You going to be okay here all by yourself?" Tony asked, tucking the blanket around Bruce's tiny, tiny legs and torso. He nodded, eyes bleary. "Have you named your penguin yet?" Bruce looked at said stuffy and pulled it out from under his arm. He studied it for a moment, little nose scrunching in concentration. 

"I like Popper." He declared quietly. Tony nodded. 

"I like Popper too. Any reason why?" Bruce shrugged at Tony's inquiry. 

"Mommy read Mr. Popper's Penguins to me. He looks like one of the penguins in the book, and I think Popper just sounds like a good name for him." He explained. A warm smile split open Tony's face. He never read that book himself, but just seeing Bruce like this, so tiny and so innocent, recalling the penguin book his mother read to him, it was amazing. Of course, the toddler did seem on edge and that was to be expected. He was living with complete strangers after all. 

"That's an excellent name." 

"Can I ask a question?" Bruce asked quietly. 

"Anything." 

"What is..." He pointed at the arc reactor humming softly from Tony's chest. The bright blue illuminated his face as he looked down at it. 

"This is an arc reactor. I was in an attack a while ago and got hit with some shrapnel. This little magnet keeps that metal from entering my heart and killing me. It keeps me alive and...well it protects me." Tony explained. Little Bruce's genuine curiosity was so close to Big Bruce's it was easy to imagine his grown up friend asking the very same question. Tony assumed now that Bruce's curiosity was more childlike in wonder than Big Bruce's scientific curiosity. But no matter, curiosity was curiosity no matter what. 

Bruce nodded and yawned, eyes drifting shut as he magically zonked out. Tony called JARVIS for the lights, brushed a loose curl out of Bruce's face, and left the room quietly. The kid had sure been exhausted. He made his way down the hall a few doors until he came to he and Pepper' s room. His girlfriend was curled up on the bed with her tablet, red hair in a messy bun on top of her head and wearing one of Tony's AC/DC shirts. 

He crawled into the bed next to her and offered a smile. She smiled back, but it was miniscule. Sighing, she sat aside the tablet, brow creasing. 

"Tony...about Bruce." 

"Yeah?" 

"He asked me today when his mom was getting him. Have you made any headway into what happened and how to reverse it?" 

"No...not really. Bruce was just trying to execute the Hulk and well, abracadabra this happened. I don't know why or how, but it did." 

"This lie you have fabricated about his grandmother being in the hospital isn't going to hold up for long. If this takes you...say weeks, god forbid months, he's not stupid, Tony. He's going to figure out that his grandmother isn't dying in the hospital. And if she was and just taking a long time," -Pepper grimaced- "then they'd come to pick Bruce up. We have to think of something more solid." 

"I never thought I'd see you be so manipulative, let alone talk about lying in such a colloquial way. I'm impressed." Tony said smugly as he got under the covers. 

"'I learn from the master." She said in a withered tone. She asked JARVIS to get the lights and curled up next to Tony, Bruce's odd reaction on her mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the rather slow progress so far, but plot development...you know...can take a while. Please review if you have a second, I _love_ reading them.


	4. Of Nightmares, Hot Cocoa, and Stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Fluff, mild swearing (maybe), nightmares  
> Disclaimer: I own nothing  
> Notes: I was hoping to capture one, sweet and short moment and drag it out like they always tell you to do in middle school, so I hope you like it. This is also unbetaed.

New York is the city that never sleeps. Cars and trolleys are constantly going back and forth on the narrows roads, honking and swerving dangerously around each other. Night owls wandered the streets smoking their cigarette buds and texting on their IPhone or chatting absentmindedly with a stranger who happened to cross their path. The insomnia of the city was contagious, and when you added night terrors on top of that, well sleep was a luxury. Tony had fallen straight to sleep after his brief chat with Pepper, but it had only been three or so hours afterward that his bright brown eyes flickered open. His skin was clammy with sweat, his chest heaved painfully up against his arc reactor, and he was cold and shaking like a leaf. 

Awful flashbacks of Afghanistan often flooded Tony's vulnerable and unconscious mind at any opportune moment. They were like rats, scurrying up and down the tunnels of his brain waiting for the right time to scratch him raw. Pepper had been concerned when Tony would wake up screaming, fear making his vision red. But he learned to control that and no longer screamed when he jerked awake. He assured Pepper every morning that he'd slept peacefully when in truth he spent a large majority of his night down in the lab. Sometimes that could be used as a distraction. Sleep, to him, was no a welcome release. It wasn't a time for all of his worries to slowly fade away and to be replaced with unicorns and rainbows. To him it was like a raven's claw, stretching out towards him with those piercing black talons. 

Shaking himself, Tony slid out of bed, bare feet smacking soundlessly against the soft rug. He padded over to the door and went out into the hall. A coffee and some lab time would be a sufficient enough distraction for the time being. Plus, he could try and make some more headway into Bruce's condition. 

Speaking of the devil...Tony turned in the opposite direction and shuffled down the hall towards the toddler's room. He was still a few feet away when he heard quiet whimpers and the sound of sniffling. Concerned and curious, Tony cracked open the door. In the pitch black of the room, illuminated only minutely by Tony's blue arc reactor glow, he could see the glimmer of eyes coming from the center of the room. The whimpering stopped and the faint rustle of blanket's filled the silence. The glimmer from the eyes was gone.

Tony crept in, the door clicking shut behind him. He used the glow from his arc reactor as a flashlight lest he trip and break his head open on the floor. Once beside the bed, he saw the rumpled blankets and the fuzzy head of Bruce poking out. 

"Bruce?" He asked quietly, easing himself onto the edge of the bed. The toddler stirred, but didn't turn towards Tony. From the glow, however, he could see Bruce's fist pressed against his mouth and a snail track of tears caked down his cheeks. Tony hummed and shimmied up next to Bruce, spreading out beside him. The four year old rolled onto his side to face Tony, eyes downcast and watery. The billionaire spread his palm against Bruce's shoulder in a comforting way. Even though Big Bruce was a master at hiding the fact that he had night terrors too, the frequent use of the panic room suggested otherwise. 

"I'm sorry." Bruce said meekly, wiping a pudgy hand across his eyes. It was then that Tony noticed the hazy sheen on green in the brown background of the toddler's eyes. Hesitantly, Tony removed his hand and swiped his finger across Bruce's flushed red cheek. The eerie light from the arc reactor lit up Bruce's tiny face like a flashlight at a campfire. 

"For what, bud?" He asked softly. He was sure he looked like some horrific monster from a bad horror movie in the poor glow, what with the dark circles and bags under his eyes, the sharp lines of red in the whites of his eyes, and the unhealthy crimson burning on his cheeks against his paled skin. If he was Bruce, he'd be pretty damn scared of him right now. 

"Waking you up." Bruce whispered. There was so much _guilt_ in that little voice than their ought to be in anyone's voice, let alone a four year olds. That was completely ignoring the fact that Bruce was guilty over something he didn't even do, and even if he had, there was no reason for him to be ashamed. 

"You didn't wake me up. I was already awake when I heard you." Tony reassured. The toddler allowed a little relieved smile to leak onto his face. He tucked his hands under his chin as he studied Tony. The flush of green in his eyes had all but disappeared. The billionaire was relieved, in an almost selfish way. It had confirmed his quiet question if Bruce still harbored the Hulk in his deaged body, but in a selfish way Tony was glad he didn't have to worry about dealing with Mini-Hulk right now. He was ashamed of that. 

"Oh." Bruce breathed, the last of the green leaking from his eyes. Tony returned his hand to Bruce's shoulder and squeezed. 

"Why are you awake?" He asked. The toddler snuggled against the mattress and thought over his answer for a moment. 

"I had a nightmare." He admitted quietly. Bruce's thumbs instantly began to twiddle. Tony smiled and caught both of the little hands with one of his.

"Oh god damn. Those f-ing nightmares." Tony filtered his speech in respect for the little life he was currently in close quarters with. Bruce chuckled and buried his head in the pillow to hide his rising smile. "Guess what? I had a nightmare too." Bruce's eyes flickered up to Tony.

"Was it scary?"

"Yeah...but I doubt it was as scary as yours. You know what," Tony sat upright and snapped his fingers. "Whenever I have a nightmare, I always get myself a hot cocoa and just hang out for a while. So how about you and I go make some cocoa with big marshmallows?" Bruce nodded eagerly and untangled himself from the mess of blankets. Tony helped Bruce out of bed, the toddler stumbling a little at the impact. His curly hair was in knots, the blue glow washed over his pale face, highlighting the freckles on his face that weren't visible when he was older. 

"Mommy makes hot cocoa after we get done playing in the snow." Bruce revealed almost cautiously as the duo shuffled out of his room. The hallway was dark, despite the glow, but Tony didn't want to risk turning on the light and waking Pepper up. This was going to be Guy's Night. 

"Where'd you grow up?" Tony asked as he offered his hand to Bruce. The toddler took it and they walked into the elevator.

"Dayton." 

"Ohio?" He asked as he punched in the floor number. 

"Mhm."

They rode down the elevator in a mutual silence. Bruce tugged awkwardly at the sleeves to his green p.j shirt and shuffled his socked feet meekly. Tony too felt the slight awkwardness of the small, enclosed elevator thick in the air. This, in turn, made him feel doubly awkward because awkwardness was not an emotion Tony felt too often. The ride down felt much too long, so long in fact Tony thought the elevator might have shut down. 

Finally the ding sounded and the doors swooshed open. The duo walked out and into the kitchen, Bruce lagging behind a little. Dark and anxious bags hung under his dull brown eyes, and his skin was sickly patchy and ghastly white. His little hands twiddled nervously, and occasionally played with the tails of his button up. Tony stuck a hot cocoa k-cup in the Keurig. He promptly grabbed a Disney World coffee cup and stuck it underneath. Bruce tugged back a kitchen chair at the wooden table and crawled into it, laying back on his heels. He rested his elbows against table and dropped his heads into his hands. Tony waited until the autonomic coffee maker groaned before putting in his own k-cup and pushing the medium button. 

"Do you like milk or whipped cream in your cocoa?" The billionaire asked as he pulled open the fridge and looked expectantly over his shoulder at Bruce. 

"Both." He said, eying the steaming, chocolate brown liquid in the cup. Tony took out the Cool-Whip and whole milk. He poured a decent amount into the cocoa and spooned the Cool-Whip onto the cocoa in dollops. By the time he finished, Tony's cocoa was finished. He repeated the progress in his own, going easy on the Cool-Whip, and carried both mugs overs to the table. He kicked back his chair and sat down, sliding the Disney World mug over to Bruce. 

"Thank-you." He whispered as his little hands closed around the plastic. He peered over the top of the mug, steam causing a faint pink flush to appear on his cheeks. Tony took the first sip, the heat burning the tip of his tongue slightly. Although it was benignly painful, the warmth of the liquid sliding down his throat and warming his stomach was well worth the momentary discomfort. Bruce, on the other hand, opted to dart his tongue out and lick at the Cool-Whip. The childish and innocent display caused Tony to smile as he stared his friend down from his end of the table. 

"What was your dream about, Bruce?" The toddler's head snapped up and his tongue hid inside his mouth. He blushed as if he was prepared to be reprimanded for his behavior. When no scolding came, Bruce leaned back in his seat and unfolded his legs from underneath himself. He cradled the mug in his hands and rested his wrists against his knees. He contemplated Tony's question as though it was an algebraic equation.

"It was fuzzy," He began slowly, hesitantly, "and it's hard to remember. If kinda felt more like an old memory than a dream." Tony couldn't help but notice the advanced vocabulary for Bruce's age. 

"My dreams are like that too." Tony agreed, sipping at his cocoa again. Bruce rolled the mug in his hands as he stared at the melting Cool-Whip in the liquid. 

"It was a sort of mixture of red and green. A lot of noise. It was scary, like I wasn't in control of everything." He continued. Tony nibbled on his lower lip. Bruce had told him the sometimes in his sleep, memories from the Hulk came flooding to the surface. No doubt this was one of those times. He reached across the table and squeezed Bruce reassuringly on the shoulder. The toddler didn't seem impressed, but he didn't flinch away like he used to. 

"The first time I had hot cocoa was when I six. I went skiing for the first time in Maine, and it was so _cold_ out. We stopped by the ski lodge after, and they were offering free hot cocoa. I wanted to try some. Ever since then I always found it...soothing." Tony shared, "And I mean in Maine, it was really fucking cold, like freezing my balls off cold." Bruce giggled, but he didn't know at what.

"The first time I had hot coca was with my Mommy. It was after the first snowman we ever made." Bruce said quietly. He brought the mug back up to his lips, savoring the hot drink. Tony's smile crinkled up his eyes. They sat in a calm silence, sipping at their cocoa and Cool-Whip leaving white stains behind on their upper lips. After they polished off their drinks, they both reclined backwards, Tony's fingers curling behind his head and Bruce's hands knitted across his stomach. 

"Getting tired, bud?" Tony asked after a few minutes of silence. Bruce's eyes flickered up to Tony and he made a so-so gesture. Tony saw right through the loosely fabricated lie and stood. He smoothed down his tattered AC/DC shirt and helped Bruce off of the too-high chair. 

Tony brought Bruce back to his room. The toddler climbed up onto the bed and slipped underneath the covers, tugging them up to his chin. He expectantly turned towards Tony who dropped to one knee beside him. A small smile danced across his face as he tucked the blankets in around Bruce. "Think you'll be okay?" The billionaire asked, as he rested his elbows on his knees. 

"Thank-you and yes." Bruce said as he snuggled down further underneath the covers. Tony patted Bruce's little knee and stood. The glint of his arc reactor in the dark splashed across Bruce's face, leaving him in a near eery light. His brown eye's, warm with trust and sleep, watched as Tony backed out of the room. He left the door open a crack and decided to leave the hallway light on. He knew statistics showed that any intrusion of light when someone was asleep usually only resulted in insomnia and restlessness, but he also knew statistics showed that children were less likely to have nightmares when light was visible. 

Tony always had the comforting presence of the arc reactor, illuminating the pitch blackness of the room he slept in. Pepper would occasionally mumble about how she was getting insomnia from the light, but Tony knew she secretly loved it, if her warm palm pressed against it as she slept was anything to go by. 

He shuffled back into the bedroom and used the light to make his way over to the bed. He got under the covers and curled up beside Pepper, her long hair tickling his nose. A sigh rippled from his chest as he shut his eyes and buried his nose in the back of her neck. 

He didn't wake up again for the rest of the night and neither did Bruce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! I tried to really capture one short moment as I said in my beginning notes, so I hope I succeeded.


	5. Put-Put's Mini Golf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: swearing and fluff  
> Disclaimer: I own nothing  
> Notes: Unbetaed first of all, so all errors are mine and unfortunately I'm not too proud to admit that I have a tendency to not read over things for my lack of editing skills. Anyway, this chapter is another little adventure, this time including Pepper, and if the chapter title is trustworthy, I can expect you all to know whats happening.  
> I meant to have this up sooner, so I apologize for the delay, but you know…life was being bitchy. Also, I apologize for the odd paragraphing and will go in and remedy that at a later time. I have things to do right now. Another note is I am changing the rating to Teen only because of swearing and the heavy angst later on. I mean, lets face it. You can’t have a Bruce/Tony deaging fix without a truck loud of angst. And this story is a bit free-spirited, so some things that happen totally happen on the spot and have no beforehand thought, this chapter being a big example, but I hope you like it anyhow. Sometimes my fingers type words on their own account. Enjoy~

The next week had been fairly uneventful, meaning Bruce mostly locked himself in his bedroom and read or watched educational television programs, Pepper worked, and Tony delved deeper into Bruce's little (literally) condition. Unfortunately, Tony's efforts have so far been moot. Damn Bruce and his privacy. 

Bruce, although predominantly in his bedroom, was more open around both Pepper and Tony and seemed to enjoy to at least a small extent spending time with them. Pepper reassured Tony that on his long days in the lab, Bruce did come out, eat, and even watch T.V with her. He had originally been worried that Bruce's was drawing away from them, but Pepper insisted that wasn't the case. She said that Bruce was a very smart and quiet child and often found solace within himself that he could not find when others were around. Tony made a quip about cats then and Pepper smacked his arm. 

Needless to say, the week had been largely mundane and nightmare-free, which was a plus. But now it was weekend, Tony, for once, was sick of being stuck in a lab (if was leagues less fun when Bruce's wasn't around) and decided that what everyone needed was a good ol' fashioned vacation. 

"Mini-golf." Tony declared during dinner Friday's night. He was munching on strictly cheese nachos, Bruce was eating pepperoni pizza (his favorite dish), and Pepper was eating sushi (Both Bruce and Tony made a disgusted face at that so-called food and in sync preformed the universal gagging gesture). Pepper sighed and dabbed at her chin with a folded cloth.

"You know I'm no good at golf, Tony-" She began. Tony cut her off with a 'tssk'.

"Now Pepper, it's not all about you, now is it?" He turned to Bruce who seemed more or less oblivious to the conversation. "Brucey, do you like mini-golf?

"I've never played." Bruce revealed timidly, twiddling his thumbs together like he always did when he was put on the spot. "But Mommy sometimes watches golf." He offered. Tony couldn't keep the big grin from breaking across his face. Little Bruce was just too adorable.

"Well, if you haven't played mini-golf, we need to fix that stat. We need to give you a taste of the wild side buddy," Tony chortled. "JARVIS, any good mini-golf places around here?" 

"Just outside of the city, Sir, there is Put-Put's Golf. Four out of five stars." The AI responded, sounding as bored as artificial intelligence could. 

"Tony, your nachos are getting cold." Pepper observed. The forgotten nachos were, in fact, looking a little soggy. The billionaire gave a dignified snort and ate one of the chips with the most cheese. Bruce picked at a bright red sliver of pepperoni before idly sticking it in his mouth. "Bruce," Pepper said quietly. "Don't do that, it's unsanitary." The toddler blushed and ducked his head down. Tony didn't miss the flash of panic in his eyes as he did so. He cleared his throat.

"Pepper, he's eating with his hands anyway." Tony tried to convey his 'don't-correct-him-too-much-it-scares-him' thought through his words. Pepper gazed back at him, but more or less grasped what he was trying to tell her. She folded her napkin in her lap and placed a comforting hand on Bruce's shoulder. The little guy flinched; Tony couldn't tell if it was involuntary or not. 

"Tony's right, I'm sorry." She said soothing, not removing her hand despite Bruce's obvious discomfort. Those big brown eyes had yet to raise themselves, and the slice of pizza, half eaten, seemed to be abandoned. Tony clapped his hands together in an attempt to break the awkward silence commencing in the room. 

"Tomorrow morning you, me, and Pepper are going to go play mini-golf." Tony declared to Bruce. "How does that sound?" Bruce made no effort to respond. Instead, he just kept his eyes downcast. Tony watched the disconcerting behavior closely, but not to closely that Bruce would notice. Pepper, too, kept an open eye on the toddler throughout dinner, just waiting to see if he even took another bite of pizza or sip of chocolate milk. He didn't. He just sat and stared at his green socked feet, and his hands resting in his lap. Apparently even a reprimand as simple and harmless as Pepper's was enough to startle the kid.

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. As soon as Tony took care of the dishes, he knelt down by Bruce, elbows resting on his bent knees. Bruce's head turned just slightly towards the kneeling man, but other than that nugatory movement, he stayed in very much the same position. Tony waited for a few seconds before caving. "Bruce, Pepper apologized. I know she's a bit nit-picky, trust me, I know." He winked at the toddler who seemed to fight a smile. "Alright kiddo? How about we get ready for bed hmm? You'll need your energy if you're going to beat mini-golf expert like me." Bruce looked over at him and finally allowed a smile onto his face. 

Bruce slid off of his chair and bid goodnight to Pepper. He also offered a breathless apology for his actions. Pepper only ruffled his hair and shooed him on his way. The two males made their way down to Bruce's bedroom. Once inside the much too luxurious room, Bruce waddled into his private bathroom and got changed into the (adorable) duckling pattern onesie Pepper picked out. Originally, both adults had been skeptical that the much to intelligent four year old would wear such a childish garment, but in the end, it turned out to be Bruce's favorite. 

Bruce shuffled out of the bathroom, brown eyes drooping and little fists rubbing at them. Tony tucked the toddler in, bid him a goodnight with dreams of science and candy, and went down to his own bedroom. Surprisingly, he was wiped. The toll of the past week had definitely hurt everyone, including the unflappable Tony Stark. He missed sleeping in and long mornings over coffee and eggs, but his top priority was not lazing around, but helping his friend with his predicament. He wasn't about to admit that he actually grew fond of Little Bruce, because Little Bruce, as adorable as he was, was not Dr. Banner and he certainly was not The Incredible Hulk.

Tony musing over his work and his day, pushed open the bedroom door, shocked to find Pepper sitting in bed, clad in only sweat pants and a tank top, watching him with warm green eyes. He padded over to the bed and dropped on his knees on the end of it, crawling up to his girl. Her fingers threaded through his hair as she tugged him into a soft kiss, the first they'd shared in days. He cupped her face with his hands and returned it, but it was brief and over much too soon. 

"Not with Bruce just down the hall." Pepper said softly, kissing him once on the shell of his ear. Tony grumbled but agreed. The last thing they needed was to scar the poor thing by having him walk in on them doing the mattress dance. He nuzzled his way underneath the covers and pulled Pepper to him in a hug. She tucked her head of red hair under his chin and thumbed the arc reactor through his t-shirt. 'You didn't change out of your jeans." She said softly, the rough fabric rubbing against the soft cotton of her sweatpants. 

"Too tired." Tony yawned, hands tightening on Pepper's back. Since Bruce got here, they hadn't been able to do much of anything out of respect for the tender life among them, but it stressed Tony out. He figured this is what it must be like to be a parent; sacrificing sex to make sure your kid doesn't get scarred for life. Tony huffed and ordered JARVIS to turn off the lights. This wasn't fair. Bruce wasn't even his kid! _He's Hawkeye's_ , was Tony's last coherent thought before he slipped away.

~

The drive to Put Put's was long and slow due to the morning traffic of New York. Tony had insisted on driving, saying it was a good bonding experience for the three of them. He wasn't above taking a private jet out of New York City just to have it land five minutes later, but he thought this would be a little less intimidating to Bruce. He figured the city was probably menacing enough for a kid that grew up in Ohio without taking a big ol' private jet. 

However, it was evident that Bruce didn't like the reckless driving, loud car horns, and people that ran across the street, throwing caution to the wind. Tony and Pepper paid it no mind, for Tony was the careless driver and honker and Pepper on more than one occasion could be seen weaving, on foot, through a thicket of traffic in an attempt to get to the other side. Bruce knew this if their stories were anything to go by.

"Why did the Pepper cross the road?" Tony laughed as he pulled in front of an irate taxi driver. A horn was promptly laid. Pepper smacked Tony's arm, unamused by his attempt at a joke. 

"To get to Starbucks?" Bruce asked, giggling. Tony shot a big smile over his shoulder at the toddler and raised and eyebrow. 

"That's true, little man." Tony stopped to let and elderly lady cross the road. 

"No, okay, I'm not _addicted_ to Starbucks." Pepper argued with a smile on her face. Tony cocked an eyebrow at her and looked pointedly down at the ice coffee from Starbucks in her hand. "Alright, you win." She conceded, taking a sip of coffee. Tony let a simper spread across his face. 

They drove on, Tony attempted to sing '100 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall' but was informed by Pepper that it wasn't appropriate for Bruce. So, they talked and laughed (mostly Pepper and Tony with the occasional giggle from the backseat) and were out of the city in the record time of an hour and a half. It was kind of weird how drastically it changed. Sure, there was still traffic because they were right on the border of the city, but the outlying lands almost seemed like a forest in comparison to the liveliness of the city. There was a lot foliage, for one, and the ground was a nice layer of green grass. Trees and shrubs of all varieties sprouted from the ground, some bearing fruit or flowers. There were houses, albeit a lot smaller than in the city, but there were. They were nice, decent sized and often had gardens and fences surrounding them. It looked like something out of the Little House On The Prairie. Some people were outside, basking in the morning glow or tending to their gardens. Dogs and children were also playing together in the lawns, sometimes big and sometimes small. 

It wasn't too much more of this until they reached a little town with more cars and buildings than trees and grass. There were resident homes, schools, a park, and a church. It was sort of quaint in comparison to New York City, but by no means country. Tony drove slowly, mindful of cats running across the road and of pedestrians who happened to be much more cautious than their city neighbors. 

"Look, there it is." Pepper pointed out her window at a sign half hidden by overgrown trees. _Put Put's Mini-Golf Course_ it read in faded white letters. Tony grimaced at the low end appearance of the sign. He pulled up the long, winding road to the void parking lot. He put the car in park and glanced over at Pepper.

"I feel like I live in the ghetto." He mused idly. Pepper gave him a withered glare and pushed open her door.

"Stop complaining. I know it isn't first-class, but a little modesty might do you good." She opened the door for Bruce and he slid out, his light up Spiderman sneakers glowing as he landed.

"Brucey should experience the best life has to offer." Tony retorted snidely, but a smile danced across his lips nonetheless. "Modesty," -he turned down to Bruce- "is overrated." Bruce hid a giggle behind his clenched fist. Pepper shot Tony another withered glare as she slammed the car door. Tony passed her the keys and she jingled them as they made their way towards the dilapidated shack in the middle of the parking lot.

The building was, quite literally, the cabin the middle of the woods. Its roof sagged, shingles hanging off of it. The walls were moldy and patched with duct tape in places, and the paint was chipped and peeling. The single window was foggy and small, scotch tape ultimately holding it together. Even Pepper couldn't hide the grimace on her face as they approached it. Bruce slunk behind Tony, apparently getting bad vibes from the ominous, neglected "office". 

"Would you do the honors--?" Tony asked his girlfriend, gesturing towards the shack. Pepper opened her mouth to argue but decided against it for Bruce's sake. If she got pulled inside and her throat torn out by a rapid werewolf, it would probably scar Bruce less than if Tony was. 

She sighed and walked up the groaning, moist and splintering steps. She felt like her tennis sneakers would break through the rotten wood at any moment. The air smelt dank, of wood and old paint and musk. Ferns, shrubs, and weeds cropped up around the shack and steps, creating it a tedious affair to make her way through the thicket to the door. Tony watched her with mild amusement.

"Sure you don't want to go someplace...cheery?" He called. Pepper snorted audibly. 

"Even local businesses need customers." She countered.

"Billionaire customers? Superhero customers?" 

"Shut-up Tony." Pepper commanded as she stood face to face with the caved door. Her knuckles hesitated against the rotting wood. She sucked in a lung full of musk and rapped her knuckles against the door. The knock echoed for a few seconds. Silence followed.

"See? No one's home." Tony spun on his heel, Bruce right behind him when the door was flung open. An elderly man, with the beginning of a beer gut, a wiry white beard, a little shorter than Santa Claus's and wispy shoulder hair greeted the startled redhead.

“Welcome to Put Put’s!” He greeted enthusiastically. “I never get any business.” Tony bit his tongue and groaned at his own bad luck. It was a true wonder why the man never got customers.

“Uh…” Pepper stuttered awkwardly. The man smiled over her head at Bruce and Tony and ushered her inside. Bruce and Tony walked up the fragile stairs and made a wide berth around the grungy man. Bruce’s hand gripped his a little tighter as they bypassed him.

“If I were you I’d be scared too.” Tony reassured the four year old. Bruce allowed a smile to dance across his face, but it quickly evaporated at the sound of the old door creaking shut and the man shuffling behind his makeshift counter.  


Golf clubs lined the walls, and multicolored balls were all stuffed into a large coffee canister. The place hadn’t seen a decent cleaning in years. Dust bunnies were so thick in spots Tony couldn’t see the floor, the lightening was supplied by a single lamp in the corner, and mold blanketed the cracks in the ceiling. The “office” smelt thickly of smoke, old cologne, mildew, rotting wood, and dirt. Something like a dive bar, Tony mused.

“Can we use your course?” Pepper asked. The old man simply nodded and gestured to the canister and then the clubs.  


“Ten dollars for an hour. Just choose your ball and the appropriate club size,” He smiled down at Bruce. “And for your son, the kiddy clubs are over on the far wall.” Pepper smiled and thanked him, but Tony held up a hand.  


“Bruce isn’t actually our son,” He corrected. Pepper groaned and rolled her eyes. “He’s our nephew. He’s Clint Barton’s son, actually.” The old man’s face showed no sign of recognition. In fact, he didn’t seem to recognize the world renowned billionaire A.K.A Tony Stark A.K.A Iron Man standing right across from him.  


“My apologies.” The man said. Tony waved him off and pulled a twenty out of his wallet.  


“Let’s do two hours. Bruce has to learn to live…spontaneously.” Tony smirked and passed the man the twenty. He smiled even widely than before, showing off chipped teeth and dirty gums.  


“Thank you sir. Have fun!” He eyed the twenty and beamed. Tony really wished he would close his mouth. Apparently so did Bruce, if the kid burying his face into his thigh was anything to go by. Pepper had already gathered the clubs; one with a black handle for herself, one with a red handle for Tony, and a little one with a green handle for Bruce. She also chose matching balls.  


They made their way through the parking lot to the beginning of the course. The ‘start here’ sign was hand off of its wooden post and looked really pathetic, splattered with mold and rotting around the edges. The course itself looked fairly decent compared to the monstrosity (or third class living) they’d experienced so far. The grass was a little overgrown, and wasn’t fake. Tony wasn’t sure if that was a plus or not. The flags marking the hole were a little worn and foxed, but were still more intact than the office. The sand pits were a little too steep and were a dark brown rather than tan, but other than that the course seemed well enough.  


Bruce was the first up to play, since he was the youngest. Naturally, because he’d never played before, Tony had to help him with his position.  


“Alright, bud. You’ve ever seen Tiger on T.V?” The toddler shook his head and Tony frowned. It was strange the kid was so…un-versed in the world. “Okay…” Tony drawled for a minute. He stepped behind Bruce and leaned over him. He wasn’t even thinking about it when he grasped Bruce’s wrists and angled them the right way so the club he was holding was facing the golf ball.  


The four year old let out a startled gasp and twisted away from him. His face was red and little tears glistened in his eyes. He gripped the golf club as if it was a weapon. His knuckles were white around the handle.  


Pepper shared a bewildered look with Tony and moved to comfort Bruce, but the toddler only watched her fearfully. He turned so his back was to the golf course and he could face both adults. Tony moved forward too, crouching and gazing at Bruce with a furrowed brow.  


“Are you okay, Bruce?” Pepper asked slowly, softly. Her hands were slightly raised in mock surrender, but Bruce still regarded her warily. He, however, seemed more adamant to avoid Tony. It each silent step the billionaire took, Bruce shied away and angled the club threatening towards him.  


“I think his caveman instincts are acting up. He’s going to club me,” Tony joked tensely, hoping to alleviate the tension. Bruce wasn’t impressed by the pun. In fact, it only served to scare him more. He was trembling, and his face was drawn and pale. Tony hadn’t gripped his wrists hard, just as hard as he’d ever gripped anyone’s wrists.  


“Maybe we should just go back to the car.” Pepper suggested as she laid her club down by Bruce’s golf ball. Tony looked over at her and nodded his agreement. The adults straightened from their crouches and Bruce warily watch them inch backwards towards the car.  


“Coming, bud?” Tony asked, beckoning with his hands. Bruce stared at him for a moment, but let the club fall from his hands onto the ground with a small ‘thump’. He started over to them, eyes averted and hands wringing together. As Tony opened the backseat for him to get in, he knew he was never going to forget the fear he saw in Bruce’s eyes.  


~  


“So…I think we should check mini-golfing off of our to-do list.” Tony mused as he munched on a grilled cheese sandwich. Bruce had retreated into his room the instant they got back and had yet to emerge two hours later.  


Pepper plopped down on the couch next to him, her own grilled cheese in hand. “I suppose we should,” She agreed absentmindedly. Since they got back, both avoided talking about the issue at the golf course and instead spent the better part of two hours doing work. For Pepper it was paperwork and for Tony…well he went down to the labs to try and make some more headway into Bruce’s condition, but to no avail. His mind was preoccupied with other things anyhow.  


It wasn’t until ten minutes ago once he got back to the living room that he decided they needed to confront the elephant in the room. Pepper had reluctantly agreed and made them grilled cheese to smooth the conversation a bit.  


“He looked genuinely scared, Tony. Just that small touch sent him fleeing.” Pepper sighed, taking a bit out of her sandwich. Tony chewed thoughtfully, but he was quickly losing his appetite.  


“I know. But it’s not like he hasn’t touched me before.” Tony countered. Pepper chewed her lip.  


“But this is one of the first times you initiated contact, yes?”  


“Yes…well I don’t know. I think so…no. Oh,” Tony snapped his fingers. “The first time I touch him was when he was just in a pile of clothes.”  
“I meant when he was aware that you were touching him.”  


“Oh then…maybe.” Tony finished off his sandwich and sucked one cheesy finger into his mouth. Pepper allowed herself a miniscule smile.  
“Touch. It’s something about touch,” Pepper pondered, eyes narrowed in thought. “Tony,” –her voice was a notch darker and more hesitant than it was before- “I think we need Fury.”  


“Are you out of your collective mind? Has your train of thoughts just like…collided with another train? God just hearing you say that was like watching a goddamn car crash,” Tony huffed. Pepper raised her hands.  


“Okay, okay. I get it. It’s not ideal, and personally I’d rather not talk to him about…well mini-Bruce, but Tony…we can’t handle him by ourselves! You have barely been able to do research between entertaining Bruce and all the work you already have to do. S.H.I.E.L.D might be our only option.”  


“What about the other Avengers? You know what Fury will do to Bruce, especially while he’s all little and meek and stuff. We don’t even know if the Hulk is still around.” Tony argued.  


“Exactly Tony. Exactly. We don’t know if the Hulk is still in him. We don’t know anything about him or his parents. We don’t know why he doesn’t like to be touched, we don’t know why he seems to be so disconnected from the world. And what about that nightmare you told me about? Most kids would’ve come right into the adults’ room and cried their little heads off. Not him though. Tony, not him.  


“That’s totally disregarding the fact that none of the other Avengers will be around for at least another week, or if we’re lucky a half of a week. Tony, we can’t do this. We can’t risk him being stuck like this, or not getting a cure or screwing him up somehow in the meantime.”  


“I don’t want to talk to Nick. Or to anyone at S.H.I.E.L.D, not including Natasha and Clint, obviously. They already know anyhow. And Steve promised he wouldn’t tell, and Thor…he’s off planet. And do you even have any idea how much Bruce would freak if he saw Nick? That whole one eye thing has me little on edge…” Tony drawled before standing up. “No. We can’t go to him. Bruce is in a strange place and he’s finally warming up to us. We can’t just drag him down to S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters and leave him there.”  


“I wasn’t saying that we should leave him there,” Pepper sighed. She shook her head exasperated and crossed her arms. “We’re not experts in pediatric care, Tony. How long is he going to be stuck like this? Why is he like this? Do you have any idea how much Fury would freak if he saw Bruce? Or if someone else saw Bruce and told him? We can’t just keep this buried. It doesn’t work like that.”  


“Pepper, he’s my friend. Hell, he’s my best friend. I can’t-“ Tony closed his eyes and shook his head. “I fuck up and I get a good slap on the wrist with a ruler. Bruce fucks up and he is detained and questioned and put in a cage and treated like an animal. Worse than an animal. Ross might come in. Might just gain custody of Bruce, like he’s some sort of weapon. Like his body is property. And then what? Do you know what they do to weapons that have outlived their use?”  


Pepper glanced down at her hands in her lap. “The weapons are taken offline.” She answered quietly.  


“And then they dissect him. Because to them it is just some game; some big game of manhunt. Some big game of manhunt that would result and certain death for the loser. Now, Bruce has gone and accidently de-aged himself. Now he’s helpless. Now he is just a four year old boy with a whole army and secret organization constantly watching him. Fury can get to him now, Ross can get to him now. If we expose Bruce to the world as a little kid with a brain too big for his body and a heart at least twice that, he might as well murder him ourselves.” Tony breathed deeply and paced. He could feel the rumble in his chest from his arc reactor. Deep breaths often disagreed with him.  
“How do you know that?”  


“I just know.” Tony snapped, storming off. Pepper watched from her place on the couch, sandwich abandoned. She supposed that she should go and try to talk to Bruce now. It wasn’t…well it wasn’t nice to leave him alone all day. She figured Tony would go cool off with a drink and some lab work. It wouldn’t be good for him to talk to Bruce in his currently riled up condition.  


She picked herself up off the couch and smoothed down her big white t-shirt Tony let her borrow. More like borrow and never give back, she mused idly as she made her way down the hall. She couldn’t hear Bruce…talking to himself, which was good she supposed and she couldn’t hear any muffled cries, which was also a plus, however she couldn’t think of what the kid could have been doing all this time.  


She knocked lightly on the door. “Bruce?” She called hesitantly. No response. “Bruce?” She tried again, easing open the door. Just as she did so, she heard footsteps pounding down the hall towards her. She whirled around just in time to see Tony panting, hands gesturing crazily.  


“JARVIS,” He wheezed and made a cutting gesture over his throat. Oh fuck. Pepper pushed open Bruce’s door.  


The computer was turned on, but it was just on the desktop. However, in the room there was no little boy. “Bruce!” Pepper screamed, peeking inside the bathroom. No kid. She crawled on her hands and knees and checked under the bed. No kid. Her heart hammered as she straightened and shook her head at Tony. He closed his eyes.  


“JARVIS was hacked into and put on mute. I think…well I’m gonna venture a guess our resident genius, well the other resident genius, managed to override his systems and escape while we were left blind.”  


“You don’t say?” Pepper growled voice laced with sarcasm. “He couldn’t have left the tower, right? So, he must be somewhere…JARVIS, locate Bruce please.” The AI seemed to sigh.  


“I’m sorry Miss Potts, Dr. Banner has, evidently, left the building.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment/review if you have a moment ^-^


	6. Our (Broken) Moral Compasses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: swearing and illusions to a child in peril  
> Notes: Eek, it has been a while, huh? I'm so super duper sorry, I meant to update last weekend but my computer was freezing every time I went on the internet and I basically gave up after a while. I'm so sorry guys, honestly. I tried to make this lengthier, so I hope it makes up for it. I promise to try and do better in the future.  
> (Unbetaed and more likely than not unedited too so read at your own risk)

Tony had never felt more like a failure in his life. This was saying something too. His father never seemed impressed with him. It was Howard Stark and Stark Industries and the little genius boy in the background of every cover magazine. He got into MIT at fifteen, got on the front page of one or two issues until his father came out with some new weapon, shiny and glorious and with enough destructive power to wipe out Tokyo. Then nobody cared about the fifteen year old that got accepted into MIT. Nobody cared how many assessments he passed with flying colors or how many engines and robots he built. They weren't military grade, they weren't crafted at the hands of Howard Stark, and he was not his father. He was Anthony Stark, genius boy. Son of a genius man. A shadow to him. 

But nothing in his childhood came close to making Tony feel as much like a failure as right now. 

He felt like shit. He felt like utter shit. He looked like shit too. He was shit. That was all there was to it. Because right now there was a four year old boy roaming the streets of New York City at night and it was all Tony's fault. Anything that happened to him would be all Tony's fault. And that was why he was failure.

He was a failure because he had to call in Fury. He had to tell him everything. He got to see the anger in that singular black eye burn like embers. He got to watch Fury call for his agents, call for Clint and Natasha to get their asses back to New York ASAP. He got to watch the trust slowly installed in Bruce fall away like a house being torn down. This was all his fault. The big old cage on the Helicarrier looming in his mind. Bruce's life, the one where he was a grownup, was probably blown to shit now. And Bruce would never forgive him. He'd spent too long running, hiding, and fighting just to stay alive, and Tony was so fucking stupid that he took it all away. This place, this tower, Bruce called home would feel a hell of a lot more like a prison when they got him back.

If they got him back.

Scenarios ran through Tony's mind like wildfire. Anything could happen to him, anything. He was defenseless, he was a gazelle in a lion's pride. And this was all another part of Tony's screw-up life. He could see it in Pepper's eyes too. The haunted, guilty look. The way she refused to meet his hazel eyes and she wouldn't even talk to Clint or Natasha. Fury screamed at her too, but after tearing apart the tower for an hour and a half in a desperate, wet-eyed search for Bruce, she was pretty much detached. 

Tony knew it was a waste to time to scale the tower top to bottom. JARVIS wasn't wrong, he knew that Bruce was no longer in Stark Tower, but humans sometimes needed physical reassurance. Although, Tony supposed, it wasn't very reassuring that Bruce was no where to be found. 

These awful thoughts, guilty and sharp and bitter, ran through Tony's head as he gazed out the rain dotted window in the dark city. Well, the city as dark as it ever got. 

Fury was driving, hands clenched tightly around the black steering wheel. Natasha was in the passenger seat, face just as unreadable as always. Tony could see her hands folded in her laps and lips drawn together tightly. Her green eyes were scanning the streets for the sight of a small body racing down the sidewalk. Clint and Pepper were squeezed into the backseat with Tony, Pepper in the middle. Her eyes were puffy from crying, and her hair was an absolute mess. She was ashen and trembling. Tony was sure he looked no better.

Clint looked sorrowful, which was kind of odd. He didn't look pissed off like Fury, or slightly irritated like Natasha, and he certainly didn't look devastated like Tony and Pepper, just...sorrowful. Like he watched The Notebook. His blue eyes were staring out past the rain and fog, at the cars and people and flashing signs. One of his hands was curled on the edge of the seat, fingernails digging slightly into it. 

Tony snapped his gaze back out his own window and chomped down on his lower lip. If they didn't find Bruce...Tony didn't want to exercise that scenario. Bruce was an excellent hider, small and silent. But they managed to find him once, in India not all that long ago. They could find him again. The world would never stop searching for Bruce Banner. He was one of those people that could and would slip right through your fingers like water. One of those people who could blend as easily and flawlessly as a shadow. And because he was one of those people, and because everyone knew it was why they were going to find him.

They were going to find him before the other agents. Tony was going to scoop him up in his arms before Nick could even open the car door. He was going to be the first to swipe the wet brown curls from Bruce's little de-aged face and bless whatever God that probably didn't exist out there for this. Then he'd feel Pepper's arms wrap around them both, her hot tears burning into the back of his neck, and her hand brushing the dripping hair out of his face. He would cradle little Bruce to his chest and never let go. He'd promise never to betray his trust again.

Tony was going to find him first. 

~

It was three in the morning when they got the call. Tony hadn't been asleep even though he was all tucked under the covers with the light out. His eyes just kept wandering the dark room, searching for something. Answers maybe. Or maybe reassurance. He could feel Pepper's back pressed against his own, and could hear the hitch in her breath. She wasn't asleep either and she was crying, but he couldn't find it within himself to roll over and comfort her. 

Tony couldn't believe that they found him first. He was so shocked in fact that he let his phone fall from his hand and clatter onto the floor. He was already sitting upright, and dressed in jeans and t-shirt, too distressed to change. Pepper asked him what it was, worry lacing her voice. Tony had been so ecstatic that he whipped around and kissed her passionately. Until he realized Bruce was in the hands of SHIELD in a very little form. He also remembered how pissed off all those agents were for having to aimlessly wander the streets in the cold and rain looking for a little kid. And Fury...

Tony spun out of bed, not bothering to pick up the phone. He had plenty anyhow. Pepper rushed after him, calling for him to tell her what happened. Tony couldn't stall. Any moment they could have Bruce carted off to be stuffed away in a cage or lab. He was defenseless like this. 

The billionaire yanked on his shoes, not bothering to lace them up. 'Bruce' was the only thing he managed to say to Pepper before her grabbed her hand and pulled her into the elevator. 

~

"I want to see him," Tony demanded coldly, arms crossed as he studied Fury. The man eyed him and shook his head. 

"Tony, you already lost him _once_." Fury reminded harshly. Tony felt his lip twitch into an almost snarl.

"I forgot you knew everything about pediatric care, Director." He retorted bitterly. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, and the silent anger radiating off of Pepper. He knew it wouldn't be long until her anger stopped being silent.

"He's a threat-"

"He's _four_." Tony growled. Fury leveled his glare with Tony.

"Tell me Mr. Stark, do you even know if he's still radioactive? If he is still connected to the Hulk?" 

"No, I don't. I've been a little busy trying to get him back to normal to conduct a million different tests on a _child_."

"It seems like that might be a priority though."

"I guess I missed the part where you thought I gave a fuck whether or not our green friend could still show up." Tony bit. Fury rolled his eye and placed both hands on the large table separating the two men.

"He's under observation right now Mr. Stark, and out of your reach. I think your should stick to your Mark suits and robots rather than caring for a de-aged four year old. Our scientists will figure out how to reverse it without your help." 

"You can't do that, Mr. Nick. He doesn't trust you-"

"You know nothing about him, Stark. Have you read his file?"

"At great length actually."

"Not everything in written down. You of all people should understand the importance of information. And the secrecy that comes with it."

"As much as I enjoy our little dance, Director, my feet are getting tired." Tony said dryly. Nick clenched his jaw.

"Do you think the Hulk was magically created when Doctor Banner O.D on gamma radiation?"

"Never thought about it all that much. I know how it happened."

"Yes, but the why is important. Everything is tied together, and the universe works in dominoes," Nick began. Tony rolled his eyes and plopped himself down in a chair. Might as well get comfortable. "Everything works in a chain reaction, cause and effect. The Hulk is very much real, that fact exists. However, there is always a cause behind an effect. What you don't know Stark is the cause. You understand the effect. As a self-proclaimed genius-"

"It's not self-proclaimed," Tony interrupted.

"What?"

"Me being a genius. It's been proven."

"As a self-proclaimed genius that likes to ride on horses higher than himself, you should understand this cause effect. Hulk was created long before the accident, Stark, long before. Doctor Banner has been a monster even before that."

"Stop talking about him like that." Pepper shot before Tony could. Fury looked up to the redhead, startled at the sudden anger in her eyes.

"The fact exists, Ms. Potts. Banner has monstrous blood in him. It's not his fault. He's suffered a great extent in his life, long before the accident. I'm not going into the grisly details. I don't have the time. Just know that we're more equipped to handle the situation than you are." Fury tried to take his leave, moving around the table when Tony's hand lashed out and grabbed his arm. The billionaire pulled himself to his feet and stared the director down.

"If you hurt him in _any_ way..." The threat went unspoken, but Fury could tell that the man standing across from him was dead serious.

"I won't call Ross and I won't do any unnecessary tests."

"Make that no tests at all." Pepper spoke up again, voice dark. Nick glared at her.

"That's beyond your say, Ms. Potts. You don't have guardianship over him. Neither of you do." Nick jerked his arm free from Tony's grasp and straightened out his trench coat. The director stormed off, boots slapping against the tiled floor. 

Tony slumped back down in the chair and let his head fall into his hands. Pepper shuffled over, gently placing her hand on Tony's shoulder. "It's my fault, Pep." Tony said, voice muffled from his hands. She pulled up a chair beside him and squeezed his knee. 

"It's not." She reassured. She could hear the anguish in his voice. The rawness of his heart exposed to the world. She knew he was such a good person. Conflicted, yes, but good. He was pegged as someone who only fought for himself, Captain America pointed that out often enough, but he didn't. He risked his life countless times for others, including caring the nuclear weapon into the black hole in the sky to save New York from utter demise. 

"If I'd been more careful...Pep," Tony glanced up at her, brow furrowed tightly. "Pep, _why_ ?" 

"Why what?"

"When I touched him, why was he so scared? I don't-Pepper it doesn't make any sense. I didn't hurt him..." Tony trailed off, looking down at the lines in his hands. "I didn't hurt him," He repeated in a mumble.

"No," Pepper said, watching Tony's eyes flicker across his palms like they were a map to the answers. "He still doesn't know us very well." Tony was shaking his head, staring at the deeply etched lines in hands intently.

"No, that's not it. Oh-" His voice broke. "Oh," A gust of air left his lungs in a 'whoosh'. "Oh no. Oh no. I think I understand now." Tony shoved back his chair and instantly began pacing. Pepper noticed his face looked drawn and easily two shades paler. 

"Tony? Tony what?" She stood up and grabbed his arm to stop his pacing. His hazel brown eyes flickered down to her. 

" _Touch_ , Pep." It was all that needed to be said. Pepper felt tears spring into her eyes as she released her boyfriend. She felt her heart splinter in two in sorrow for the boy somewhere in the maze of SHIELD headquarters. She turned away, a sick feeling swirling in the pit of her stomach. Tony wrapped his arms around her in a hug, squeezing her tight to his chest. She could feel each gust of his hot breath against her neck and his wet eyelashes press against her ear lobe. 

~

Natasha had been more than pissed off when she found out about Bruce's disappearance. Initially, when she got the call from Fury, she felt hot flashes of anger all through her body. She thought this was because she and Clint had been in the middle of a mission and she wasn't in the habit of just up and leaving right when things got hot and steamy. However, on the entire jet ride back to New York, she realized she wasn't angry because she'd been called back. She was angry because little Bruce was missing. This startled her for two reasons. 1-Her and Bruce were admittedly not the best of friends. Natasha would be the first to admit that it was more of her own doing that anyone else's. 2- She'd never felt _anger_ at someone for letting someone else get lost. She wasn't a soft person, she was tough and cold and detached. That was how she liked it. So what was this flash of protectiveness that blossomed inside her when Fury dropped the bombshell?

As she strode down the SHIELD medical wing hallway, she decided it really didn't matter. Bruce was back and under SHIELD's custody, at least for the time being. Clint had sneaked off to listen to Fury and Tony's meeting and offered to bring her with him. She declined, saying she already knew how it was going to go down. When Clint came back, breathless from running all the way from the meeting room to her office, so to speak, she was right. 

She knew Tony was going to blow his cap and Pepper was going to match him step for step. She knew this. Everyone knew this. Maybe that's why it was so damn retarded to keep Bruce in SHIELD's custody. Even adult Bruce felt awkward among SHIELD personnel and the only person he really grew close to was Tony. From what she'd been told, de-aged Bruce wasn't all that different.

Natasha strode down the hallway, legs taking wide strides. Some people thought she walked so quickly it looked weird, but she was a woman with a destination and there was no time for baby steps anymore. She never met conscience little Bruce before, but maybe she could arrange something so that he'd be back under Tony's wing. God knows it was much safer with the billionaire than with SHIELD.

Clint had even helped her devise a plan. Sneaking the kid out would be the easy part. Keeping his disappearance a secret from Fury was quite another matter. Natasha had influence amongst the SHIELD agents and they'd listen to her if she asked them to, but she also knew how loyal some could be to Fury. Which was slightly admiral as long as they weren't just ass kissers looking for an easy promotion. That wasn't the way to find it, Natasha knew. 

She turned the hallway into the top security wing of medical. She wasn't expecting there to be a barrier of at least a dozen SHIELD agents blocking her path. "Step aside," She commanded two agents directly blocking her. One was a tall, scrawny man with wispy blond hair and hard blue eyes. He looked like a skinny, mean version of Captain American, Natasha mused.

"Sorry, Ms. Romanoff. Director Fury said no one, and I quote _no one_ was to enter Dr. Banner's room." The blond man said. The woman next to him was only slightly shorter with chopped off brown hair and murky brown eyes. 

"And Dr. Banner's room is just down the hall I suppose." Natasha noted. The female agent shrugged.

"It is."

"I did request that both of you part to make way for me," Natasha reminded. The woman's eyes narrowed and the man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he was dealing with a belligerent child.

"Director Fury-"

"i understand," Natasha snapped. The man's jaw clicked shut. "Surely that rule isn't applicable to his top agent and an Avenger, is it?"

"He said no Avengers whatsoever." The bold woman interrupted. Natasha turned her icy green eyes on the little bitch, who was smirking as if she had anything to be pleased with.

"Did he now?"

"He did. Now we'll have to ask you to turn around and leave before we call him up here." The woman said. Natasha snickered, but could see no alternative. She spun on her heel without another word and stalked out of the hallway. Her and Fury would be having a long, hard talk.

~

Clint paced the length of the room while he and the stony Natasha waited for Fury to come out of his office and honor them with his presence. Natasha told him all about how they were forbidden to go and visit Bruce, and it pulled every one of his strings. They decided to keep it very low-key so they didn't alarm Pepper or Tony, but both of them seemed to catch on and were off cursing Fury back at Stark Tower. Clint didn't have his doubts that it would take Tony long to find a round about way to visiting Bruce.

The door to Fury's office opened and a young agent hurried out, hair a disheveled mess as she clutched her tablet to her chest and rushed past them. "I suppose I can make time for you two." Fury said as he stood by the door frame.

"Missed you too." Clint deadpanned. Natasha shoved past the both of them, arms crossed, into the office. Clint trailed behind her and Fury shut the door. The director faced the door, sighed, and then turned around.

"Well?" He asked sharply.

"Not seeing Bruce, let's start with that," Natasha said coldly. Clint couldn't recall a time where her voice was any darker. "You _know_ he must be scared, and confused, and the only person he's grown close to is Tony."

"He's too dangerous. My job is to keep people safe, not to make sure they're comfortable."

"He's a child!" Clint exclaimed, flailing his arms. Fury fixed him with his trademark glare.

"He's is most certainly not a child. He screwed up something and got himself de-aged, but Banner is most certainly _not_ a child."

"He has the memory of one. He thinks he is. He looks like one." Clint argued.

"The Hulk may still be in him-"

"And if he is he's gonna be less than half the size of the real Hulk. Probably shorter than yourself, Director." Natasha interrupted. 

"Exactly," Clint smirked. Fury gestured angrily towards the door.

"Get out. My mind has been made. I don't _care_ how pissed off Potts or Stark are. I don't care how pissed off your are, or how pissed off Rogers will be when he gets back. Now out." Fury jabbed his finger at the door again. Clint shared a look with Natasha and they both stalked out. There was no point in arguing. He wasn't going to change his mind. He was stubborn like that. Tony could get past security and Natasha and Clint could easily take out a dozen guard agents before they knew what hit them. Fury was just going to make them all the more determined to do so.

~

"I feel so bad." Pepper's voice was hallow as she lied on the couch. Tony was sitting on the coffee table across from her, elbows resting on his knees as his eyes studied her face. "How could we not see it before?" The question had been asked a million times in their heads from SHIELD H.Q to Stark Tower, but neither had the courage to ask or answer it. Tony hadn't felt so dumb since his father was alive. 

"I don't know," He answered simply. He could see it now; every shy smile and flinching away from reaching hands. The hesitancy, the lack of knowledge about the outside world. It all fell into place like some twisted puzzle. Bruce didn't ever talk about his father, and Tony had a feeling he knew why. He understood better than some people about daddy issues, but the difference between himself and Bruce was that his father never paid any attention to him while Bruce's clearly spent too much. 

"That poor soul," Pepper said mournfully. Tony only let his eyes fall to the floor. Guy had been through so much, so much more than Tony anticipated. Probably so much more than anyone had. Now he was being held captive by strange, domineering people. If Tony was in his position, he didn't know how he'd react. 

"Sir, Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton are on their way up." JARVIS reported. Tony nodded.

"Thanks, JARVIS." Before he could even finish, the ding of the elevator opening resounded through the room and out stepped Clint and Natasha. Pepper sat upright and combed her fingers through her hair, Tony didn't even bother to straighten his slouched back.

"We tried," Clint announced, not beating around the bush. "He's stubborn as a mule." Pepper sighed and let her eyes wander.

"There are only a dozen agents keeping us out. It'd be easy enough to break in and get him back." Natasha proposed. Clint made his way over to the couch and lowered himself down beside Pepper. Natasha remained standing. 

"I could make them blind. They got the firewall of a high school." Tony said, a plan formulating in his mind.

"It won't be-I mean no one will get hurt, right?" Pepper spoke up, ever the moral compass of their operations. 

"Nothing except Fury's ego." Tony assured as he stood up. 

"Clint and I can take out the guards and retrieve Bruce if you and Pepper make sure the alarms are disabled and the video cameras shut down." Natasha said. Tony nodded.

"It would work."

"Hate to be a party pooper, but how are we going to keep Bruce's abduction away from Fury?" Clint asked the question everyone was wondering. An uneasy silence settled in the room before Natasha snapped her fingers.

"Coerce them." She said. "Everyone knows I don't bluff." Tony smirked at the devious light in Black Widow's eyes. 

"How did I know you'd say that?" Clint and Tony asked at the same time. Pepper allowed a smile to leak onto her face. Maybe this would work. Maybe they could get Bruce back, turn him back into his older self, and Fury would never know until Bruce was re-aged. Then Pepper wouldn't feel so bad. 

Except it wasn't as simple as that. She knew Tony needed time, and a lot of it, to figure out how to reverse the changes made to Bruce. She also knew that she knew more about Bruce than she should, and having him 'grow up' so to speak was not going to be simple. It would be awkward for a very long time. And that was if the unthinkable didn't happen; the effects being irreversible. If _that_ happened...Pepper shuddered. She didn't know what they'd do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review, even if it's just to bitch about my untimely, scattered, rare updates 'kay? I deserve it.


	7. Wet Napkins and the Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Swearing, and some minor action  
> Notes: Whoop, another chapter and so soon! This is unbetaed (and more likely than not unedited) and I own nothing. Time to get a little Cap up in this joint next chapter (And for those of you eagerly awaiting the arrival of Little Tony, it won't be too much longer now! And some fluff should be coming in throws in the next few chapters.) **This is pretty short** just so you know.

_Six o'clock in the morning_

Tony woke up, eyes bleary from sleep as his alarm went off. "JARVIS, cut it out." He grumbled as he tossed the covers aside. Pepper rolled onto her back and gazed up at him. "You ready?" He asked, helping her out of bed. She kicked aside the pesky covers and nodded.

"Lets get him back." Together they went to the kitchen, poured themselves a cup of coffee, Tony grabbed some of Thor's leftover Poptarts and Pepper grabbed an uncooked bagel and together they made their way down to the lab. Honestly, Tony didn't need Pepper to accompany him, but he knew she needed to feel like she was participating somehow. That's probably why Natasha brought Clint along to take out and coerce the agents guarding Bruce. 

_Seven Thirty AM_

Tony has bypassed all of SHIELD's security with ease, fingers flying across the hologram like nobody's business. Pepper stands from afar, muttering words of encouragement went the program unexpectedly halts from the firewall. It doesn't usually take long for Tony to maneuver around it, like a dressage horse at the Olympics. As soon as he turns all of the video cameras offline and disabled (and muted, for good measure) all of the alarms, he tells Pepper to give Clint and Natasha the green light. She leans over his shoulder and snaps a picture of the security breach and sends it to Natasha's phone. Tony then turns around and kisses her for a halting second. This was going to work.

_Eight o'clock in the morning_

Natasha and Clint are craftily making their way down the ventilation system of SHIELD medical. Natasha's tight catsuit is driving her crazy and riding up in all the wrong places from being cramped in, but Clint seems at ease. He makes his way through the ventilation system like a lab rat through a maze. He's done it a million times. His quiver is strapped to his back and the end of it occasionally smacked Natasha in the face, causing her scowl to etch even deeper onto her face. She was a spy and was used to lurking, but she preferred alleyways and shadows to tight, enclosed vents liable to give out under her weight at any moment.

"Close now." Clint muttered as he turned and crawled a few more paces forward. He peered down through one of the vents and saw the heads of the SHIELD agents guarding Bruce's personal wing. He looked over his shoulder at Natasha. "We're here," He inched around the vent, trying his hardest not to bang a joint into one of the walls and cause a disruption. At the very least Natasha was smaller than him and could fit better. 

She peered down through the vent and pulled out one gas grenade. It would explode silently and fill the air with a clear, noxious fume to knock out the agents. She motioned to Clint and he passed her a bow string with a magnet tied to it. She shook her head at the sloppy piece of equipment, but snapped the magnet on the gas grenade and the magnet on the bow string together. She sat aside the grenade and they both went to work on unscrewing the vent as silently as possible and lifting it up. Clint hugged the metal to his chest and scooted backwards. Natasha lifted the grenade and slowly lowered it to the ground by the bow string. She released the string only when the grenade was sitting safely on the ground and out of sight. 

Clint watched the grenade rest on the ground as he fumbled with the clicker attached to his belt. He got it undone and hit the little glowing blue button to detonate the grenade. They both saw the clip pop open. On cue, they both took out faint gray handkerchiefs and covered their mouths and noses with them. Natasha's green eyes flickered up to Clint's. Her eyes glowed with accomplishment and his twinkled with a smirk.

_Eight Ten AM_

Natasha swung herself down from the vent once the last agent was thoroughly conked out. She landed almost silently, like as cat, beside the grenade. She picked it up and passed it back to Clint, who landed much less gracefully. He took the grenade and clipped it to his belt. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the passed out agents and sent it to Pepper along with the text _'Operation Turd In The Punch Bowl successful'_.

Clint ushered her along by jerking his head down the hall. Together they jogged, peaking in windows to see if Bruce was in the room. It wasn't until they came to the end of the hall and peeked in did they realize the kid was being even more mistreated than they originally thought. 

The room was made of metal, all four walls a glistening steel. There was a single bench, not even padded, in the center of the room and a small body was curled up on it. The boy was dressed in a dull blue jumpsuit, he was trembling, and his hair was sweaty and shadowing most of his face. Natasha peered through the tiny cutout window and could see tear tracks caked down his cheeks. 

Clint's face twisted into a near snarl at the sight. His hand instantly went to the doorknob, but it was locked. There was a slot for a key card, but Clint already knew neither his nor Natasha's would work. The only one that would work would be Fury's. 

"Use that microscope camera arrow thingy." Natasha suggested, not taking her eyes off of Bruce. Clint nodded and pulled the arrow out of his quiver. The end of the arrow, where the arrowhead should be, was instead a little camera and robotic arms. This particular arrow was designed by Tony, for missions that required manually hacking their way through a door.

Clint bent so he was eye level with the key card slot and slowly slid the camera into the slot. He peered at the little screen that showed the inside of the lock and tilted the arrow so the camera revealed the lock mechanics of the door. Attached to the side of the arrow was a small black box with two buttons; one red and one blue. The blue button operated the left robotic arm and the red button operated the right. Using his forefinger and middle finger, Clint managed to get the robotic arms around the latch. Of course this wasn't without a little trial and error and a string of curses that would've made a pirate blush.

"Did you get it?" Natasha questioned as she finally yanked her eyes from Bruce to the top of Clint's head. The archer was chewing on his lower lip, his blue eyes honed in on the screen. He gave a few sharp tugs on the arrow and the click of the door being unlocked resounded through the empty hallway.

"Yup." He smirked up at her and stepped away, pulling open the door with him. The room was colder than they thought it would be. And now Bruce was sitting upright, brown eyes glassy with tears as he gazed at them. His skinny knees were drawn protectively to his chest and his cheeks were flushed a Santa Claus red. 

Clint bent down to appear less threatening to the youth. He placed his camera arrow on the floor and raised both hands. "Hey now, bud. You don't need to be afraid of us. We're here to bail you out." Bruce's sniffled as he curled closer in on himself. "He's fucking terrified." Clint hissed up to Natasha. She looked at him and walked forward slowly. Bruce eyed her warily, inching away when she was in touching distance.

"You remember Tony, Bruce? He's really scared for you, and so is Pepper. You had them worried. We aren't going to hurt you, I promise." She dropped into a crouch. "No one is going to hurt you, 'kay? You don't want to worry your mom, do you?" This had Bruce shake his head a little. Natasha allowed an inkling of a smile to seep onto her face. "Alright then," She straightened and held out her hand. Bruce looked at her hand as if it might snap at him. Timidly, though, he reached out and placed his pale, tiny one in hers. 

From afar, Clint watched with amazement. He'd never seen Natasha charm someone like she just did. She was very black and white. Get in and get out. Threats and blackmail and all that fun stuff. Never had he seen her show tenderness to reach a desired outcome. Unable to pass up the opportunity, he pulled out his phone and took a picture of Natasha holding Bruce's hand. He would have some blackmail of his own now.

Bruce slid off of the bench, socked feet hitting the floor softly. "He's cold," Natasha said as she gazed down at the trembling boy. 

"That's not a surprise, it's freezing in here." Clint shivered and stood up. Bruce half scooted behind Natasha's leg, and he noticed his hand grip hers tighter. "I'm Clint, by the way. And this is Natasha. We're your guardian angels." 

"Knock it off, Clint." Natasha scowled as he led Bruce out of the room. Clint huffed and followed her out.

Neither of them expected for the dozen SHIELD agents to be marching down the hall towards them, anger evident in each and every one of their eyes. 

" _Shit_..." Clint breathed. Natasha's head whipped around to look at him.

"Take him." Natasha demanded, voice dark and serious. She passed Bruce over to him, who let out a little cry of surprise at being manhandled. Clint wrestled Bruce into his arm as he cradled him to his chest. Natasha squared her shoulders and rested her hand on the butt of her gun. "Go." She commanded. Bruce's little hands pressed futilely against Clint's shoulders and chest, but the archer's arms were wrapped tightly around the kids knees and back. He wanted to argue, to tell her that he'd take the fall with her, but he knew she wasn't going to give up like that. She might kill them, might fly them off to some remote island to die of loneliness and starvation. Clint didn't know. All he knew was that he had a duty to little Bruce right now. And to Tony and to Pepper.

Clint clutched the kid to him as he ran, Natasha distracting the agents as best as she could. Bruce, realizing escape was pointless and impossible, hugged himself to Clint's chest as best as he could. Clint was lucky the kid was as light as feather or else his weight might drag him down. He didn't hear gunshots or screams of anguish so he figured Natasha must be attempting to be civil. 

He lugged Bruce down the hall and towards the nearest exit he saw. Luckily, there were no wandering agents so he got by unnoticed. As soon as he was outside, he made a bee line for the nearest taxi.

_Nine o'clock in the morning_

"Sir, Agent Barton is on his way up. It would appear he also has Doctor Banner with him." JARVIS informed. Tony's head jerked up and a huge grin split open his face. Pepper let out a relieved tense laugh, clapping her hands together. Tony spun around and pulled her into a bear hug. Pepper's fingers laced in the fine, short hairs on the back of Tony's head, face burying into the side of Tony's neck. The billionaire's hands tightened in her white blouse. They found him. They got him. It was fine now.

Pepper was the first to pull away from the hug. "And Fury will never find out." She said, a wide smile on her face. Tony shook his head and kissed her hard. Before pulling away he muttered 'he'll never find out.' He pulled back and grabbed her hand, dragging the redhead behind him. 

They were outside the elevator when it dinged and Clint stepped out, a little boy clenched in his arms. Bruce's skinny arms were flung around the archer's neck, little legs wrapped tightly around Clint's torso. The blondish man supported the kid by wrapping one hand around his waist and the other gripping the back of his knee. 

Clint looked slightly flustered and out of breath, but he was smiling at the beaming faces of his fellow Avengers. Pepper and Tony watched as Bruce slowly peered away Clint's neck. He craned his head over his shoulder and looked at Tony and Pepper. The slightly terrified look in his eyes seemed to nearly evaporate at the sight of Tony and Pepper. 

Tony was the first to go in, hands tugging Bruce from Clint's arms. Tony gripped the child to his chest, fingers tightening in the back of the blue jumpsuit. Pepper flung her arms around both of them, laughing quietly into Bruce's shoulder. Clint gazed on, a soft smile on his face. Bruce was definitely in better hands now. He'd be safe until they found out how to reverse this little mess. Naturally his thoughts wandered to Natasha and he couldn't help the twinge of worry that filled his mind. He knew the agents would never hurt Natasha, but Fury would have her ass if he found out. Clint just...he just didn't know what would happen to her.

Pepper seemed to sense his distress as she pulled away from the rejoicing Tony. She placed one hand on Clint's shoulder. "Hey, how did things go down over there?" She asked quietly. Tony peeked up from Bruce's neck. The kid still had his face buried in Tony's. The billionaire nodded once at Pepper and Clint before lugging Bruce to the kitchen, presumably to get him something to eat. 

"No muss no fuss." Clint reassured. Pepper saw right through the poorly fabricated lie. 

"C'mon, Clint." She urged. The archer's eyes flickered up to hers.

"The agents woke up sooner than they should have. Natasha had to stay behind and do something about them," Clint gestured vaguely with his hands. "She did something. She told me to take Bruce and go, so I did." Pepper patted his shoulder. 

"I know that couldn't have been easy, but if anyone can convince a dozen SHIELD agents to sew their mouths shut, it's Natasha." Pepper smiled and Clint laughed. 

"You know it," He let a short silence drag out. "Go to them, I know you were worried." Clint nodded towards the kitchen. Muted sounds of dishes clanging and Tony and Bruce's laughs could be heard. Pepper smiled and looked over her shoulder. She looked back at Clint and nodded.

"As soon as you catch sight of Natasha, you send her over here. Tell her I owe her one." Pepper smiled again and skipped to the kitchen. Almost immediately, Clint heard a sharp bout of her laughter. He turned on his heel and gazed back inside the elevator.

"Ah, fuck it." He turned around and jogged to the kitchen after Pepper. He peeked his head around the door frame and saw what a disaster the Stark kitchen had become in a matter of minutes. Bowls and spoons lay in scattered places across the floor, flour was spotted all over the kitchen counters and walls, an open bag of chocolate chips was split all over the counter and some even rolled on the floor. Bruce was propped up on the counter, feet swinging and flour dusting his face white. He was still in his blue jumpsuit, but now it was sprinkled with flour and sugar and other cookie baking substances. Tony was furiously trying to mix something that should be cookie dough, but it all stuck to the spoon like peanut butter. Pepper was attempting to organize the kitchen; picking up the dishes and sweeping the flour off the counter onto the palm of her hand, but every time she made a dent either Tony dropped an egg on the floor or knocked the baking soda back over. 

"Legolas! Get your feathery ass over here and mix this!" Tony gestured at the bowl he stepped away from. The billionaire turned and pulled himself up on the counter next to Bruce. He looked down at the curly mop of hair. "Hey, don't disappear like that again. You really had us worried." Bruce turned his dark eyes up to Tony's and blushed a little. 

"I'm sorry, Tony." Bruce said quietly. He twiddled his thumbs together and Tony moved his hand up and squeezed the kid's shoulder affectionately. Tony could see the pain in Bruce's eyes, the scars just below the surface. He knew his father was not kind to him. He knew touch was a sensitive thing, but he could also tell Bruce trusted him. Trusted him a hell of a lot more than any SHIELD agent at least. Actually, the change in Bruce's behavior had been phenomenal. The conditions in which he was being kept must have been a special kind of cruel in he was suddenly so open and trusting of Tony and Pepper and even Clint, albeit he seemed eager to get out of the archer's strong arms. 

Clint sauntered across the kitchen, avoiding the eggs and split milk as best as he could. "I'm no baker." Clint warned as he grasped the wooden handle of the spoon. The dough was hard and thick, a little too clumpy than Clint thought it was supposed to be. He lifted the spoon and all of the dough came up with it. "That isn't natural." The archer mumbled as he took the nearest spoon and scraped the dough off the wooden one. Tony laughed and flung a handful of flour at his teammate. Clint huffed as his face was promptly whitened. Pepper laughed and leaned the broom she was holding against the fridge. 

"You're a child, Tony. Bruce is more mature than you," She teased. Bruce little, high pitched laugh sounded through the room. Tony didn't even see the chunk of hard dough flung at the side of his face. The billionaire gaped like a fish out of water at the archer before he smirked mischievously. He reached up and peeled the dough from his hair and sat it between him and Bruce. He then stretched behind him and grabbed the very open box of baking soda. Pepper called for Tony to stop and Clint held his hands up in surrender, but Tony let the box fly anyway. 

Clint was prepared and ducked. And JARVIS decided it wasn't important to inform them that Natasha was back and standing right behind Clint. No one was laughing when the open box of baking soda smacked her in the face. White powder splattered all over her face and stained the front of her blood red hair. The sound of Tony's teeth clinking together filled in the yawning silence. Natasha's green eyes flickered down to the box laying at her feet. Delicately, she bent and scooped up the box. She turned it over in her hands before quirking her eyebrow and glancing at Tony. 

The baking soda box went flying past Clint and smacked into Tony's chest. Power showered into the air. Pepper let out a long laugh, joined by Clint, Bruce, and Natasha. Tony was making more of a gurgle sound as he slipped off the counter and tripped to the bathroom, half choking on the bitter taste of baking soda on his tongue. 

The dough all ended up in one messy glob underneath the table after two dozen eggs had been broken, a half gallon of milk spilled, and a whole bag of chocolate chips dumped into the sink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review pretty please?


	8. Children

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Swearing, fluff, people stuffing their faces, Steve, a long awaited tag  
> A/N: Sorry I haven't updated! At least the wait wasn't as long as last time and I think this chapter is pretty good. It took me about two days to write, and I finished it last night so I apologize for any sleep caused errors I made. I did skim over it, but there may still be a fair share of errors, so again I apologize. Also, I typed this entire thing on my IPad which is a very stressful, time consuming affair, so bear with me.  
> And if you guys didn't know, I'm very thankful for all of the kudos and bookmarks and reviews and even just the views. Seriously, thank you.  
> Also if you didn't know I always type these notes _before_ I actually write the chapter so warnings and stuff may be off.

Steve had two days left of training when the message from Fury came in. The message had been vague enough, simply stating that Steve needed to be back at Stark Tower -not SHIELD HQ which raised enough red flags on its own- as soon as possible. The message cut off there. Playing back the message in his huge tan tent he could hear the shaking rage in Fury's voice along with blatant exasperation. The recruits had been disappointed that they didn't get to finish their training session with him, but he promised that once he figured out what Fury wanted he'd train them again. 

Steve was, admittedly, quite positive he knew why Fury was calling him back. He didn't think it was ludicrous to assume it had something to do with Bruce being transformed into...well Little Bruce. Even though he originally thought they should let Fury know, secretly he wanted to avoid this confrontation. Fury could be...explosive to put it lightly. If this _was_ about Bruce though...they'd probably be in deeper shit with not telling Fury than they were telling him. 

While he'd been training the recruits, he hoped that Tony would've found a cure for Bruce's problem, and the fact that it taken just over a week was a little worrisome. Of course Steve didn't know much about science, and it was beyond him how something like this was even remotely _plausible_ , but he assumed if anyone could figure it out in record time it would be Tony. And if anyone could keep something from Fury, it would be Tony. Either the billionaire was off his game or something had gone terribly wrong.

Steve was turning ghastly scenarios over in his head during the five hour long jet ride back to the States. The ride to Africa had been much longer, considering they hadn't stuck him on a jet with seemingly warp speed capabilities. It wasn't all a smooth ride though. Their incredible speed caused exceptionally large wind current to knock the jet around, which in turn caused Steve's lunch to lurch in his stomach. The time he didn't spend drawing or worrying he spent with his head between his knees taking deep, calming breaths.

He couldn't be happier when the jet swooped down and landed at SHIELD HQ. As he stepped out of the jet he expected to see Fury standing there, the winds buffering his black trench coat and unreadable face even more stoic than usual. However the only person waiting for him was Marie Hill, not even Agent Coulson, or Phil as he insisted Steve call him.

"Fury's not gonna meet and greet me?" Steve questioned as he shoved his duffle bag up higher on his shoulder. Hill shrugged as she led the way off of the platform. 

"Fury's a little stressed," She said conversationally. "I'm supposed to act as your glorified chauffeur." She led him to the elevator. 

"Do you know what this is about? I had two more days of training with the recruits." They rode the elevator down to the garage before Hill spoke.

"I think you already have a pretty good idea," She countered dryly. "Before you star snapping at me, Captain, think of the number of questionable choices you've made." Steve just noticed the rough way her body moved, as if she was stifling one hell of a rage. 

"I wasn't snapping, Agent Hill. I'm just curious," He explained. So, this probably was about Bruce, and all of SHIELD was well aware of his 'betrayal' so to speak. "Can you blame me?" She didn't even throw a contemptuous look over her shoulder at him as they got into the sleek black car. 

-

They rode to Stark Tower in a tense, yet mutual silence. Steve tapped his foot against the floor of the car, the silence setting his nerves of fire. Hill didn't spare him even a side eye as she drove them. They pulled up to Stark Tower and Steve was out of the car before it even pulled to a complete halt. Knowing Tony, things were going terribly wrong up there. 

"Thanks," Steve said as he slammed the car door shut. He felt dirty, knowing that Phil and Marie and even Fury relied on his loyalty to them as well as his loyalty to his team. However, it was hard to do both, especially when it came to Tony and Bruce. He understood how quickly things could go to shit if they found out Bruce did something potentially dangerous. They could lock him up like a dog, like an animal. Tony had even gained some ground with SHIELD and any questionable choices he made could harm the unsteady relationship and trust he managed to install in Director Fury. Steve could already tell _he_ was on shaky ground and he was Captain America. If his standing in SHIELD could become compromised so quickly he didn't want to think about how little time it would take Bruce and Tony to get their asses tanned. 

Pepper was waiting for him in the office, looking just as presentable and unruffled as always. There was a small smile on her face as she greeted the captain. They rode up to the main floor and the first thing Steve noticed was the near silence on the floor. He tilted his head, expecting to maybe hear the trickle of alcohol as Tony poured himself a drink, or as Clint or Natasha turned up the television.  
There was nothing though. Steve stepped out of the elevator beside Pepper. A tiny, content smile was on her face as he motioned for him to keep quiet with a finger to her lips. He followed her into the living room, an involuntary smile stretching across his face. 

There on the couch was Natasha, Clint, Tony, and Little Bruce. Tony was sleeping on his back, his head supported by the arm of the chair. His knees were bent to allow Clint enough room to sit. Natasha was tucked between Clint -whom was sandwiched between Natasha and Tony's legs- and the arm of the couch. Clint's head was flopped back, mouth open and a tiny trickle of drool beading at the corner of his mouth. Natasha had her feet tucked delicately under her, and her head was using Clint's shoulder as a headrest. And then there was tiny Bruce, curled up on Tony,s chest, his little feet pressed against Tony's thighs, one of his hands fisting his shirt and his curly mop of brown hair was pressed underneath Tony's upward tilted chin. 

"Oh my god," Steve smiled. He usually tried to avoid bring God into things, but it seemed applicable enough. He couldn't recall seeing anything cuter in his entire life. Of course there was the twinge in the back of his mind that stressed over the fact that Bruce was still deaged, but he couldn't bring himself to care. They looked so much like a family, pressed trustingly against each other and Tony's arm curled casually, yet protectively, over Bruce. 

"I know," Pepper agreed simply, a bright smile lighting up her face. "They tried to make cookies. I wouldn't go in the kitchen if I were you. Welcome back, Captain." She reached over and squeezed his hand before making her way presumably to her own room, content to let the four people sleep on the couch. Steve checked his watch. It was only nine o'clock, but stressed induced tiredness tugged at his eyelids. But...the thought of the kitchen left in a state of disarray weighed heavily on his mind. 

Despite Pepper's warning, he made his way to the kitchen as quietly as possible. She hadn't been lying about the 'trying' part. There was baking supplies and ingredients everywhere. Steve let out a soft chuckle and deposited his bag outside of the kitchen. He then set to work on cleaning up the disaster. 

-

Tony awoke to the sound of dishes clanging. He groaned, arching up until he heard his back crack. The back of his neck was stiff as rocks, and there was a lump of weight on his chest. Momentary panic flared in his brain was he realized the weight also bore down on his arc reactor, but when he craned his head up and saw Bruce's curly hair, he breathed a sigh of relief. He let his head flop back down after realizing he was all squished up because of Natasha and Clint taking up the second half of the couch. He figured Pepper must be either cleaning up the disaster they made the other day, or making breakfast. 

"JARVIS," Tony called out quietly. "Time?"

"Nearly eight o'clock in the morning, sir. You've slept the whole night through." JARVIS said just as quietly. It was just loud enough to jostle Natasha awake though. She stirred silently, eyes flickering open and pupils contracting in the light of the room. She moved away from Clint before Tony could even really tell that she was awake. 

"Hey, cuddle s'more." Clint mumbled as his hand blindly groped for the body that left his side. Natasha snorted and spun on her heel, storming down the hall. Tony watched with an amused smirk. The way they danced around each other _and_ the way that they were so blatantly protective of one another left nothing to the imagination. Even if Natasha would scowl and say that love was for children and Clint would shrug and say they were just friends, they would be together someday, Tony just knew it.

Clint scooted away from Tony, still asleep as his upper body hunched over and he curled into a ball on the couch, dried drool staining his face. Tony smirked and wrapped both of his arms around Bruce. He shuffled out from under the kid and gently placed him on the couch. He barely twitched a muscle.

He sauntered to the kitchen, arms stretched above his head and yawning. His socked feet slid against the ground as he walked. There wasn't Pepper busily busting around the kitchen, but Steve Rogers, dressed in a vanilla splashed white apron putting pancakes on the table and balancing a tray of delicious smelling chocolate chip cookies. Steve's blue eyes caught sight of Tony around the same time saliva starting to pool into the billionaire's mouth. 

"Who knew a solider could cook?" Tony asked rhetorically, already moving for the stack of lightly crisped golden pancakes. Steve stopped him by holding out an arm.

"A captain, actually," Steve corrected in a rare, cheeky voice. "And this is for everyone, Tony." 

"And he's back to bossing everyone around again," Tony sighed through his nose dramatically. "I'll...mind my manners." Tony smirked and patted Steve on the shoulder. He turned and whisked out of the room, nearly breaking into a jog. "If you guys," Tony drawled as he stared at the napping miniature Bruce and not so miniature Clint. "Wanna wake up...?" Tony reached down and shook Clint's shoulder. The archer grumbled something and swatted his hand away. 

"Don't need to be a snappy bitch about it," Tony huffed indigently. 

"Let sleeping children lie," Natasha said, suddenly behind the playboy. Tony spun, practically tripping back onto the couch. 

"Let sneaking women sneak," He bitterly countered quietly. "Mr. Everyone-Deserves-A-Pancake said we can't chow until these sorry excuses for superheroes are awake." 

"I heard that!" Steve yelled from the kitchen. Natasha looked past Tony and rolled her green eyes. 

"Clint, I'm naked." That was all it took. The blue eyed archer sat up faster than a horse leaving the loading gates at the Kentucky Derby. 

"You're what?" He asked as he stumbled and swayed to his feet, grabbing onto Tony's shoulder for balance. 

"A tease," Tony wiggled out from under Clint's hand as he answered for the redhead. She fixed him with a glare. 

"Stark is having a tantrum because he can't stuff his face with pancakes." Natasha explained. "At least not until everyone is up." 

"I wouldn't call it a tantrum exactly-"

"I don't think anyone really cares," Natasha interrupted. Clint watched with only a raised eyebrow. 

"Well I want some damn pancakes. And syrup. And whipped cream. And whomever cooked the pancakes remembered to get strawberries right?" Clint asked as he headed towards the kitchen. 

"We have strawberries," Steve poked him head from around the doorway. "No whipped cream though. I did manage to make cookies out of that disaster you guys left in the kitchen."

"That was Bruce's fault," Tony waggled his finger at the sleeping four year old. "Which reminds me..." He bent down and placed a hand on the tiny shoulder, giving it a little shake. "Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey. Er- should I say pancakes and cookies?" Bruce stirred under Tony's gentle ministrations , pudgy fists rubbing at his hazy brown eyes. 

"Mom?" The tiny voice asked questioningly, eyes blinking to clear themselves. Tony felt his heart swell as he glanced back at Natasha. The redhead had her eyes diverted though, fixed on an interesting part of the floor. Clint, just within earshot, was trying to look anywhere besides Tony and the couch. 

Tony glanced back down again at the little bundle of clothes and curly hair. After the semi realization he and Pepper had come to, Tony tried to show the boy that he had nothing to be afraid of. During the kitchen fiasco, it seemed to work. Bruce stuck mainly to his side and laughed full belly laughs without fear of being reprimanded. Tony could only hope that today had the same good results. 

"Na, it's someone _so_ much cooler." Tony smirked deviously. Bruce's eyes fixed on him and for a split second slight fear washed through them. It was replaced by warmth however. The deaged scientist sat upright and smiled sleepily. Natasha was staring at him now, her eyes softer than usual. "There's someone I think you'd like to meet." Tony said as he offered Bruce his hand, straightening. The four year old took it and hopped down from the couch, his little socked feet thudding lightly against the floor. 

"His name is Steve, but you can call him Captain Spangles. He likes that. He also has all the good qualities of a sixty's house wife; the hair, the cooking skills, the cleaning skills, the motherly intuition, the lack of manhood-" Natasha slapped Tony's arm.

"He's four," She scolded. Tony looked over at her as he guided Bruce into the kitchen and towards that delicious aroma of fresh baked treats and pancakes. 

" Exactly. He probably has no idea what that even means." Tony rounded the corner with Bruce and Natasha in tow. Clint was already sitting at the table, staring lustfully at the pancakes and chocolate chip cookies. His eyes kept flickering back and forth between both savory food items as if he just couldn't decide which to ogle. This ended up wi Clint attempting to stare at both food items out of the corner of his eyes.  
Steve was standing there, proudly holding a spatula in his hand. He smiled down at Bruce and waved the spatula in greeting. The four year old instantly reached out and snatched Tony's pant leg, sliding behind him and tucking his face against the back of Tony's lower thigh.

"Nice work, Captain Spangles," Tony said, gesturing vaguely behind him at the hiding Bruce. Sulkily Steve lowered the spatula and knelt down to be eye level with Bruce.

"I'm Steve Rogers. Captain America...do you know who I am?" The blonde asked tenderly. Bruce stared at him, some recognition flaring in his eyes but was instantly replaced with wariness. His mouth remained firmly shut.

"He's also known as That Guy or That Guy In The Tights." Tony interjected lightheartedly. Bruce, even big Bruce, always seemed nervous meeting new people, but it wasn't like him to cower completely. From what Clint shared of his and Natasha's Bruce hunting expedition, Bruce hadn't been all that nervous of them. 

"Don't listen to Tony. He'll fill your head with lies," Steve smiled, deciding to pretend not to be offended by the lack of e kids warmth or acknowledgment. He wasn't going to lie; it hurt. He was used to kids running up to m in the streets, hugging him and asking for his autograph and wanting to be told stories. He was used to being recognized everywhere he went, especially when he was wearing his uniform. Sure, he wasn't wearing his uniform now and the emasculating apron he was wearing probably did nothing to convince Bruce that he was actually Captain America, but he did tell the kid who he was and why would he lie about that? He sat down at the table and gnawed at his thumb nail while the others sat down. Well, when Bruce was this age he would have still been frozen, more of a legend than an actual person. If Bruce did know of him, he probably thought of him like a story, little more and if he didn't think of him that way he probably assumed, like the rest of the world, that he was dead. 

Or maybe Bruce was never a fan of Captain America.

Steve helped himself to two pancakes and three strawberries, forgoing the cookies and syrup. He was never terribly into sweet things. It seemed inconceivable to him that a kid wouldn't be into Captain America, and that made him sound completely conceded, but it was true. From the little he's been told about Tony's childhood, the billionaire used to idolize him. Idolize him because Howard Stark, his father, used to speak of him in such high regard. 

Steve glanced over at Tony, who was greedily piling food onto his and Bruce's plates. Sometimes it was hard to believe that this was Howard's son. Sure, Tony had some of his physical features, his last name, and certainly some of his more flamboyant personality traits, but Steve never thought he'd see the day Howard Stark's son was in his forties. Hell at the time he didn't even know if Howard would even have a son, or daughter, or child in general. The man was as work oriented as Tony, in different ways. 

And then there was the fact that Tony hated him, albeit not as much as he did when they first met. He didn't really know Tony's reasoning and never built up the courage to ask. Sometimes he really just wanted to know what ever the hell he did to make Tony dislike him so much, and other times he figured that it was probably deep rooted and wasn't any of his business. Tony would probably just beat around the bush anyhow until Steve tired, said never mind, and left. Tony was good at avoiding questions he didn't want to answer. 

They ate with little conversation. They were about halfway through the oversized stack of pancakes when Tony, around a mouthful of chocolate chips cookie, asked about Pepper. Steve informed him that she left about an hour before they got up to go to the spa. 

By the time they finished their meal, there was only one and a half pancakes left, and a third of a cookie. Steve had only eaten two pancakes and decided to sketch a birds eye view of a playground while his teammates finished their breakfast. Natasha ate an applaudable four and a half pancakes, with no strawberries (she said the seeds all got stuck in her teeth) and a boatload of syrup, Clint ate a stomach churning five pancakes all topped with a surplus of syrup and strawberries and regrettably no whipped cream, Tony ate a jaw dropping amount of six pancakes, eight strawberries, a half a bottle of syrup, and a glass of fine scotch, and Bruce proudly consumed one pancake, ten strawberries (Bruce explained in a hushed voice that they were his favorite fruit) and just a dribble of syrup.

"Well," Tony's voice broke through the silence. "I've got tests to run and notes to take. If you guys don't think it'd be too much trouble, could you watch Bruce for me? I've only been doing it for the past week." Tony shrugged and stood up. Steve internally rolled his eyes at how dramatic he could be. The captain thought he could recall something about 'attention whore' in his file. 

"I bet Bruce would like to learn how to use Nerf Guns, wouldn't you?" Clint asked excitedly, glancing down at the kid. Bruce simply shrugged, ducking his head at the sudden attention.  
"I bet Bruce would like to watch a nice nature documentary," Tony said thoughtfully as he rummaged through a stack of electronics on a desk.

"Maybe he likes to draw," Steve pipped up, tapping his pencil eraser against the cover of his sketch book. Natasha huffed.

"Maybe he'd like to have a say." She said coldly. Bruce seemed exceptionally bashful, shrinking back into his chair and twiddling his thumbs together. 

"I've gotta run, Brucie, and leave you with these very un-fun people, but when I get back we'll watch Star Trek or something, 'kay?" Tony said as he picked up his Stark tablet. Bruce glanced up from under his eyelashes and smiled a little, nodding. Clint crinkled his nose.

"Star Trek? Gross. Sci-Fy films are just way to complicated and nerdy. Know what we should watch? The Hunger Games. Or Robin Hood."

"I saw War Horse," Steve added. "That was good." 

"How about you let Bruce chose what movie he wants to watch?" Natasha's voice was even colder than it was last time. 

"I think he'll like Star Trek. It's a little scientifically inaccurate but the hot aliens make up for it." Tony said.

"Hot aliens? You mean Spock?" Clint teased. Tony stuck his tongue out at him and continued to do so as he stepped into the elevator and until the door closed. Clint was laughing at his sloppily thrown together joke until he realized Steve was just looking at him with a raised eyebrow and Natasha had a near murderous glint in her eyes. 

"I like Spock," Bruce said quietly. Clint looked down at him again and ruffled his hair.

"Yeah, I think he's my favorite too."

-

"Yeah, like that," Steve nodded as he leaned over and smudged the black line Bruce drew with his coal pencil. For his credit, the kid was doing a fine job of making a close up horse face. He had the angles right, and understood that a head wasn't just a poorly drawn circle with a round body attached to it. No, Bruce made sure to get the taut line of muscle in the horse's neck the perfect angle of the horse's ears. He didn't seem to keen on shading, so Steve helped him out when he saw the opportunity. 

Since Tony had left for Bruce's lab two hours ago, Bruce had divided his time between Clint and Steve. Natasha hadn't been over exuberant to spend any time with their deaged teammate, so the two males stepped up to the plate. The time Bruce spent with Clint was mainly watching episodes of Robin Hood in mutual silence. Steve, as he worked through some paperwork or the other, could see the trust in Bruce very posture. He didn't shy away when Clint's hand went to grab the remote by his knee, or if the archer shifted at all. Steve felt...hurt that Bruce did so when he made sudden movements around him, but Bruce did just meet him this morning.

However he did like to draw and that was something he and Steve had in common. It was strange, though. Steve couldn't remember adult Bruce ever telling him that he even liked to draw, let alone the fact that he was more than decent. Little Bruce certainly did though, even if the majority of the drawings he made were childish, blobs of color and squares and circles. Steve could feel how intimidated Bruce was when he snuck a glance over Steve should at his drawing when he didn't think the blonde was watching.

It was almost as if he wanted to be as good as Steve, but at the same time feared it. That much became more than obvious the second Bruce set to work on drawing something new; a horse head. It was incredibly detailed for a four year old, probably better than the drawings Steve did at that age. It wasn't anything compared to Steve's drawings now, it was just too 2D and unstructured to measure up, but it was impressive. Then again Steve supposed he shouldn't think of Bruce as a simple four year old; he was too smart at any age to be written off like that. 

"Do you like horses?" Steve asked as he smoothed his thumb over his own coal pencil sketch. He had elaborated on the sketch of the playground he made at breakfast, deciding to make it appear more abandoned. Bruce stared at his own drawing and finally looked up, shrugging. "You're really good," Steve pressed, giving Bruce's shoulder a little nudge. The kid just shied away, muscles tensing. The blonde let out a sigh and sat down his pencil, pushing himself into a sitting position from his stomach. They had decided to draw of the floor, the table was still covered in breakfast stuff. 

"I learned to draw when I was just a kid. I was sick a lot, had asthma and the weakest immune system in the world. There wasn't really much for me to do; I missed school a lot, couldn't go out and help with the chores or anything. So I drew and I read what I could. Mostly drew though.

"I used to just draw things in my room, then I'd look out the window and draw a tree or a horse or a house, or whatever caught my eyes. I started out a lot worse than you. Just mindless shapes, you couldn't even tell what they were." Steve let a wisp of a smile break across his face. Bruce as staring at him intently, little eyebrows drawn together. 

"My momma likes horses," Bruce said quietly. His fingers ghosted over the page. "She used to ride. That's what she told me. Daddy used to get her presents..." Bruce trailed off, distress in his voice. "He-he used to get her presents when I was littler. When he was still 'daddy'. He'd get her little figurines and drawings and books and shirts with horses on them. I'm gonna ride when I'm older...if-if Dad will let me. Mommy said she was gonna ride with me." Bruce didn't let his eyes meet Steve's once during his little spiel. Steve just stared at that bent head of curly locks, some sadness filling his eyes.

"Yeah?" He tried to keep his voice jovial. "That's awesome. I bet you and your mom will have a lot of fun doing that. Does your dad not like horses?" Bruce shook a little before rapidly shrugging his shoulders and busying himself over his paper. He looked worried -panicked- as if he'd said way too much. If Steve wasn't imagining it, he thought he could see the slightest blush of green over the kid's skin and that was never good news. 

"I think your mom will like her gift," Steve said decidedly and finality. Bruce looked up quickly and let the trickle of a smile onto his face. Steve could see the responding 'I do too' glimmering in his eyes.

-

"Don't you think Tony should be back by now?" Clint asked as he shut Bruce's door behind him. The kid had been yawning for the past hour and finally Steve and Clint decided it was bedtime. Bruce didn't put up a fight.

Tony's disappearance weighed on Clint's mind despite the successful night. He'd been gone since ten and it was already eight pm now. Steve was sitting on the couch picking through a fruit salad.

"He probably went down to his garage or something. You know how he is," Steve wasn't worried. Tony would sometimes disappear for days in the bowels of his tower and emerge only to bathe, sleep for an hour, grab a snack, and head back down to either his garage or lab.

"Hey JARVIS?" Clint called.

"Yes, Agent Barton?" The AI responded. His voice sounded nearly as tired as Clint felt. 

"Is Tony in the garage, or any where else for that matter?" 

"Negative. Sir has not left Dr. Banner's laboratory since he entered it."

"If he okay?" Steve interrupted. JARVIS seemed to sigh.

"I do not have visual of Dr. Banner's laboratory. His preferences were to keep his lab private." JARVIS explained. Steve grunted and scooped the last blueberry into his mouth.

"Thanks, JARVIS. I guess we should go check on him," Steve stood up and sat his empty bowl of the glass coffee table. He and Clint headed down to the lab, sharing very little words. The closer they got to the floor, the colder Clint's stomach became and the more it churned. 

They stepped our of the elevator and made their way to Bruce's lab. The Lab of Youth as Tony called it. Fortunately, Tony had left the door unlocked, probably because the only person besides himself and Bruce that could gain access to the lab was Pepper and she wasn't here than it was safest this way.

"At least he has some sense of self preservation," Clint commented dryly as he pushed open the door into the cool, sterilized lab. He didn't understand how anyone could willingly work in a place like this; with the frigid cold and the stench of hospital all around. It smelt vaguely like SHIELD medical, which brought back nothing other than sour memories. 

But worst of all, above the sanitizer smell and the faint hum of AC/DC in the background was that the lab was inexplicably empty. Machines whorled, computers beeped, and sample sat patiently in their refrigerators or on their shelves waiting to be tested but there was no bodily presence, and there had been no signs of a struggle.  
Clint heard Steve's hushed and disbelieved 'oh God, no' the same second his eyes fell of the little bundle of neatly stack clothes in the center of the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I left a bit of a cliffhanger there, although I'm confident the majority of you know what happened. If you don't just read the warnings in the beginning notes and it gives a pretty big hint. I didn't want to leave it too cliffhangery and I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer for this...this thing you've all been saying you're excited for so until chapter 9!  
> (Chapter 9, can you believe it!?)


	9. Don't Promise Me The Stars Or The Moons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Swearing (and for once it isn't Tony!), child in pain, no fluff. No motherfucking fluff.  
> A/N: To 90% of the reply reviews I gave I promised another chapter today, and lookie, I met the mark! I'm proud that this chapter is a thousand words longer than the previous chapter, but a lot of it is dialogue, just a fair warning. Also, I dont know if all my medical lingo and facts and what not is correct but hey, if you see something I did wrong, tell me. Again, I typed this entire thing **on my IPad** which I need to stop doing because it stresses me the fuck out, but whatever. I own nothing, by the way. Unbetaed but I did read over the first half of it. This authors note is way too long and not read over. Expect a few mistakes ;)

"JARVIS really needs to be allowed to look at Bruce's lab," Clint said as he carried a lump back up to the floor Natasha and Bruce were on. "I mean, seriously. This is just getting ridiculous." Steve's eyes drifted down to the pile of clothes in the archer's arms.

"No, this is just getting more complicated. Tony's clearly out of commission, Bruce is out of commission...where are we going to get our brains now?"

"You're talking about them like they're fucking chip bags in a vending machine." Clint grumbled. 

"Clint, I don't have time for this. Fury's already angry enough as it is, Natasha's gonna go AWOL, and god knows how Pepper is going to cope." Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. Two team members had been _put the fuck out of commission_ and both teammates happened to probably be the only people in the world that could figure out how to reverse this damn mess. 

"Alright, we got this," Clint bounced the bundle in his arms. "We already have one four year old, what's another?" 

"Another chance we might lose if Loki ever escapes Asgard and takes his vengeance out of Earth," Steve revealed grimly. 

"What do you want me to do, Captain?" Clint asked, suddenly exasperated. He looked over at him. "I'm only _human_ , I can't fucking fix this." Steve shook his head. He knew it wasn't fair to snap at Clint; none of this was his fault. But he was here and stress was piling higher up on Steve's shoulders with each passing day. Thor was in Asgard, Natasha wanted nothing to do with kids, from what Pepper told him Fury more or less gave them a big 'fuck you' and told them they needed to figure it out (not to mention the fact that Fury still thought he had Bruce in custody), and it would be a cold day in hell Clint would let Steve go to SHIELD to ask for glorified babysitters. But the fact of the matter was Steve had things to do, and Clint and Natasha had missions to run, and Pepper was the goddamned CEO of Stark Industries and her plate had been full from the get-go. 

"You can't do anything. Just...maybe we can ask Coulson for some help." Steve suggested. The entire team trusted the agent and the agent was kind of like the poster boy for the Avengers, well other than Steve himself, and it would make sense that the agent could help watch the newly deaged Tony and Bruce. That was, of course, until Fury needed his special op ass on a mission to Thailand. "And what about Tony's friend? The pilot, was he?"

"Oh, yeah, Rhodes." Clint nodded. "Coulson probably won't like it much and Rhodes is pretty busy from what Tony tells me...but we could probably coerce them into a contract." The elevator dinged and they stepped out, only to be greeted by Natasha. Her green eyes immediately went to the bundle in Clint's arms and then the noticeable absence of Tony Stark and she put two and two together well enough.

"Our resident genius has, yet again, managed to fuck everything up, hasn't he?" She said nonchalantly. Clint chewed his lower lip.

"Yeah, but at least now there's enough children to go around," He extended his arms towards her and she took a step back, never uncrossing her arms. 

"I'm going to go talk to Fury. Captain-" She gestured back towards the elevator and Steve sighed, clapping Clint on the shoulder. The archer watched them leave with dismay. Needless to say he's never thought he'd be in charge of two four year olds. Never. 

"Agent Barton, if I may...?" JARVIS questioned suddenly. Clint nodded. "Sir made a habit of telling people he met that you were Dr. Banner's father. While I am not surprised by his lying, I am surprised at the forethought. I advise that you stick to Sir's story and tell questioning folk that Sir and Dr. Banner are your children." Clint seethed silently. When Tony was older, he was _so_ going to pay for that. 

"Yeah, guess I shouldn't confuse everyone. But what makes you think people won't recognize me as the very single, very childless Hawkeye from the superhero team The Avengers?" 

"I mean no disrespect when I say you do not get as much publicity as the others." JARVIS seemed almost amused, _amused_ , by this. Clint made an indigent snort and hiked Tony up higher in his arms. 

"Stop with the flattery, JARVIS," Clint deadpanned as he made his way down the hall towards Bruce's bedroom. The most complicated part of this whole mess was definitely going to be explaining to Bruce where the fuck Tony went and why this was this goatee less younger replica of him hanging around. Keeping the lies straight to SHIELD,the army, the public, the kids, and hell, even _himself_ was going to be undeniably difficult.

Clint carried Tony over to the couch where he delicately laid the kid down. He sat by the lump and gently unfolded the layers of clothing he was bundled up in like a snowman. Clint pulled aside the majority of Tony's t-shirt to reveal a tiny cheat, milk white skin stretched taut around a huge blue light. Ugly, discolored, protruding veins stretched away from the arc reactor, decorating his white chest in purples and red and blues. The arc reactor, while big enough on Tony's adult sized chest, looked humongous on this little human. It seemed to engulf his entire chest, stretching to cover nearly three quarters of it. Clint could see Tony's face cradled in a bundle of clothes. His mouth was slightly open, his cheeks were flushed an unhealthy pink, and beads of sweat dotted his brow. The muscles in his chest rippled with the effort of every breath. 

"Oh shit fuck," Clint breathed as he gathered Tony back into his arms. "JARVIS, what are his vitals?"

"Sir's heart rate is well below the healthy zone for a resting, four year old male at forty nine beats per minute. He is also running a fever of approximately 103 degrees. Agent Barton, I advice you to get Sir to medical immediately." JARVIS's output was sharp and quick, worry underlined his tone. "Shall I call Happy for you?"

"No fucking time," Clint spat as he wrapped Tony back up in the makeshift blankets. He ran to the elevator, supporting Tony in the crook of his bent arm. The billionaire's bare, pale legs hung out from under the clothes, dangling limply. "Ah fuck!" Clint cried as the elevator arrived. "God dammit," He spun and jogged down the hall, the kid's body swaying in his arms. For having a fever, Tony's skin had been icy and clammy. 

"Mr. Barton?" Clint heard a voice squeak from down the hall. There was Bruce, standing in the hall way in his green Hulk footie pajamas, one fist rubbing at his eye and the other clutching a Captain America shield stuffy Tony bought him. His curly brown hair was ruffled, his eyes were bleary and he was blinking rapidly trying to clear them.

"C'mon, we have to go," Clint said with urgency. To think he almost left the little fella behind. Bruce eyes his outstretched hand warily, before the flickered to the exposed legs hanging out of Clint's arms. Bruce pointed with a tiny finger.

"Who's that?" He asked, ignoring the hand. Clint groaned, his arm tightening around Tony. He had no idea how long the billionaire had been unconscious and deaged in Bruce's lab, nor how much longer he had left. _He didn't have time for this_.

"We have to go!" Clint shouted. He would later regret with all his heart grabbing Bruce's wrist with bruising force and dragging the now sobbing kid behind him but he also knew the difference of five minutes could mean life or death for the life cradled in his arms.

Clint dragged Bruce to the still open elevator and ordered JARVIS to take it down. The AI didn't even wait for Clint to finish his sentence before the elevator was zipping down the chute to the garage. Bruce was angled away from Clint, his little body shaking and tears pricking at his eyes. Tony hadn't even moved an inch. 

Clint lunged out of the elevator the second the door opened. As many times as Tony told him to never touch his cars, not even the faintest reminded ran through his head as he ripped open the back door to the nearest car (a white Camaro, Clint would find out later, that Tony had gotten for Pepper as a birthday present.). JARVIS opened the door for them to expose the lite up city streets. Luckily, Tony hadn't taken the keys out of the glovebox, so he didn't take the time to highjack the car.

Unfortunately, however, the car was not an ambulance and there were no sirens to turn on. The car didn't even have JARVIS hooked up to it yet, which was a damn shame. Apparently, Tony never got around to making the modifications. 

Clint was fortunate he was a good driver though. He supposed he had to be, with the unconscious Anthony Stark balanced on his leg and the shivering Bruce, rubbing at his wrist where Clint grabbed him, in the back seat. Clint didn't even notice the green hue to Bruce's eyes as he stared at the back of the archer's head, his face bathed in betrayal. 

Clint swerved around a taxi, earning himself a shout and a blaring horn. He was pretty sure he scream some profanity back at the man, but he didn't really remember. Cars had to violently yank their wheels around to get out of Clint's way and pedestrians, with shocked looks on their faces, were forced to jump onto the nearest sidewalk as the Camaro tore down the street.

SHIELD HQ had never seemed so far away before. It felt like hours Clint was driving, just trying not to crash and kill them all. The car drove long and hand, like a racing horse. When he finally did pull up to the headquarters and was greeted by two young SHIELD agents, he was pretty sure Tony was dead. There was no way, no way he could still be alive and well. Not with his heart beating that slow. Ten thousand awful possibilities ran through his mind, especially of what he'd have to tell Pepper. Before he could even build up the courage to respond there were SHIELD Medical officers all around them, taking Tony from his and stretching him out on a gurney. Clint thanks the small miracle that was JARVIS for calling ahead. He wasn't, however, as enthusiastic to see Steve and Natasha. What would they say? Would they think it was his fault this happened to Tony?

Clint gazed out the windshield as the two Avengers approached him, their gaits swift. As soon as Steve reached him he was asking what had happened. Natasha was saying something, shouting something at him, to him, Clint couldn't tell. The words mushed together like rice in his brain, his ears rung, and he just couldn't think.

The archer held up a hand and instantly both of their jaws clicked shut. "I-Is...I don't know, okay." Clint sighed, hand falling back to the steering wheel with a hallow, defeated thump. 

"So you just...noticed?" Steve asked quietly. Clint nodded, the image of Tony's chest rippling with enlarged, infected looking veins seared into his brain. The arc reactor looked so unnatural in the kid's chest, stretching the skin like it was trying to rip free of Tony's chest cavity. 

"Bruce, he's with you?" Natasha questioned, not being able to peer in the back through the tinted windows. Clint nodded again, too worried and too unsettled to trust his voice. He knew the arc reactor was unnatural, whether it be embedded in Little Tony's chest or adult Tony's chest, but it looked so much more...foreign and intrusive in Little Tony's chest. The device, while almost beautiful and captivating on adult Tony, looked twisted and ugly and torturous on Little Tony. Clint could almost imagine Tony's face scrunched up in pain from the object buried deep within his chest, causing him pain yet keeping him alive at the same time. Paradoxical, Clint thought.It kept him alive, yet it endangered his life.

Steve walked around the car and opened to door. Bruce was curled up in the back, eyes downcast and fingers lacing together nervously. He was still dressed in his onesie, the shield stuffy tossed carelessly to one side. 

"How are you doing?" Steve asked as he crawled into the backseat. Bruce's subtle shift closer to the opposite door could be dismissed as him making room to accommodate for Steve's large muscle mass, but the soldier knew otherwise. 

Steve had no doubt Clint would have been in a cursing panic the moment he noticed the very sick -or injured- Tony. Even as an adult Bruce actively avoided havoc, panic, or disorder of any kind and for good reason. Steve, along with everyone else as far as he could tell, assumed it was because he didn't want to disrupt the Hulk's control, but seeing his nervousness around other people and chaos as a small child, long before the incident, struck a chord deep inside Steve. 

"I'm okay," Bruce answered very quietly. Steve wasn't sure if he would've heard it had he not the super soldier serum to heighten his hearing and other senses. 

"Yeah? A little nervous, I bet. Confused too. Don't worry, we'll explain everything to you just as soon as we understand ourselves," Steve let out a humorless chuckle and extended a hand towards Bruce. "You wanna come inside?" Bruce hesitantly looked at the offered hand and nodded, however he very politely inched around the hand as he squeezed past Steve to get outside. The rejection definitely hurt. Anyone he'd ever known, besides Tony, always wanted to shake his hand or take a photo with him, especially kids. Sure, Bruce might not know his celebrity status, but usually his friendly demeanor was enough to draw people in, as well as his chivalry (which Tony vehemently claimed was dead and considered sexist now) and mannerisms. 

Bruce padded forward a few steps, so he was not far from Natasha's jean clad leg. He seemed to be putting a bodily guard between himself and Clint, who was leaning against the car. Natasha looked down and only frowned at the child shielding himself behind her legs. Steve could see his little hand itching to grab onto Natasha's pant leg.

It was odd, Steve decided, how Bruce naturally felt more comfortable around Natasha and Pepper than anyone else. Of course there was Tony who more or less forced his company, but just like adult Bruce, little Bruce didn't seem to mind all that much. In fact it only strengthened their unlikely bond. Pepper was understandable; he'd known her longer and she was always very friendly and engaged in conversation with him and what not. Natasha, however, had done little more than gaze at Bruce with contempt and try to avoid him as much as possible. Clint said her and kids never really got along, and the fact that Bruce might possibly transform into an enormous green rage monster over getting one less meatball in his spaghetti than everyone else didn't exactly scream good company to her.

Yet, Bruce was hiding behind her like they were old friends and Steve (feeling exceptionally neglected and looking like a kicked puppy) who had drawn with Bruce and even coaxed some personal information out of him was being regarded with nervousness and even _fear_. Bruce was afraid of him for some reason Steve couldn't pinpoint and that was troublesome. 

"We should get inside, figure out what's wrong with To-" Steve caught himself just in time. He'd completely forgotten about how Bruce was going to handle this. Tony had more or less been attached to his hip ever since they found him in the lab a little over a week ago. The two had become best buds all over again, according to Pepper. Bruce would no doubt wonder where his very adult friend -and Steve meant that with the most innocence possible- went and why there was suddenly another four year old with the same name and personality. Steve wasn't so much worried about them not getting along; if they became friends as a forty year old and a four year old, they could do it again when both of them were four. He was more  
afraid of lying to Bruce (and to Tony too) and having him see right through, or figure it out. It wouldn't take much, Steve was a shitty liar and everyone knew it. It didn't help that these kids were both genius'. 

So instead of saying Tony, Steve just said 'him'. Everyone understood who he was talking about and the ambiguity of his words. The trio walked in, with a very purposeful looking Natasha, a nervous Bruce glued to her side, a stressed Clint, whose hair was getting grayer by the second, and a dignified Steve, who brought up the rear and armed himself with a triage of questions to ask SHEILD medical personnel.

For having just brought in a possibly dying four year old with an arc reactor in his chest, medical seemed pretty calm. A woman with blue SHIELD issue scrubs came up to them expectingly. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and there was a friendly, but professional, smile on her face. 

"Captain, Agent Romanov, Agent Barton," She greeted each of them with an incline of her head. "And of course Mr. Banner," -shes smiled warmly down at the cowering child- "Agent Romanov, you might want to take Mr. Banner over to the bench, to avoid his worrying, of course."

"Of course, Doctor," Natasha said stiffly as he led Bruce over to the bench. He hopped up and turned to look at her retreating figure. She sent one 'stay' over her shoulder and Bruce dangled his feet sheepishly. As soon as Natasha got back over to the group, the doctor jumped right in.

"It's a good thing you got Stark to us when you did. Of course he isn't exactly the same Stark of yesterday, is he?" She glanced at Steve, waiting for an explanation.

"No," Steve sighed. "He was trying to, you know, find a cure, and it didn't really work, I guess." Steve didn't know all the scientific medical lingo, so he hardly thought he was the most qualified to answer the doctor's questions.

"I see. Fury was right then; you should've left finding a cure to us," She shrugged. "And, just so you know, we had to contact Fury. He's gonna want to know that Banner was broken out." 

"You were treating him bad enough," Clint bit out defensively. "He's much happier and safer with us in Stark Tower." Even Natasha gave a firm nod of agreement.

"That's for Fury to decide," She sniffed contemptuously and reached over to the nearest table and picked up a clipboard. "We haven't had much time to conduct tests, obviously, but from what we can tell he has an extreme fever of one-oh-four. It's progressively climbing, so we gave him some antipyretic medication. It's holding it at a steady 104.1 degrees. The oxygen in his blood is also below normal, and he is having visible trouble breathing.

"From what we can tell, the arc reactor hasn't shrunk with his body. It's exerting too much pressure upon his bronchi tubes, limiting the supply of air to his lungs. Its massive size is also beginning to intrude on his heart, causing it stress. There also appears to be a severe infection somewhere in his chest cavity, causing the discoloration of his veins. We won't know the origin of the infection until we perform surgery, but we think it may be caused due to nearly the entirety of his raw chest touching the metal of his arc reactor. His body is attempting to cool down by going into diaphoresis." She explained. 

"Diaphoresis?" Steve asked, crossing his arms. He wasn't sure, but that didn't sound good.

"It basically means sweating. A lot. And it has to be the side effect of something else, in this case the fever."

"You said something about surgery...?" 

"Yes, to remove the arc reactor and find the origin on the infection so we know was antibiotics to give him." The SHIELD doctor said nonchalantly. 

"What?!" Clint cried, flailing his arms. "You're kidding, right? If you take out the arc reactor Tony will die."

"We are well aware of that fact, Agent. Please don't tell me how to do my job and I won't tell you how to do yours."

"Taking it out will kill him," Natasha said coolly. 

"If we leave it in it'll kill him. There are two solutions; we either need to build a smaller arc reactor to accommodate for Tony's small figure-"

"That won't work. Only Tony can build an arc reactor." Steve interrupted. "Pepper told me that."

"Exactly. That's why we have to use the second option. We need to hook him up to an external electromagnet that will keep the shrapnel from entering his heart, but the mechanics of the arc reactor are simply killing him. Tony didn't happen to build an arc reactor with the thought of being turned into a four year old in mind, did he?"

"What kind of electromagnet?" Natasha asked, straight to the point.

"An electromagnetic battery. It'll probably be too big for him to lug around, so he'll have to stay here." The doctor turned to leave when Clint caught her arm.

"He's not staying here. With all your technology you can't get him, or make him, an electromagnet the size of an IPhone? And if you can't he can carry it in a back pack like an oxygen tank." Clint said. There was anger in his voice, mixed with desperation and guilt. The doctor shrugged out of his grasp.

"We might have something smaller he could carry around, but the bottom line is it isn't my say. It's Fury's." With that she left, white sneakers squeaking against the floor. Clint hung his head in defeat. Everything was spinning so fast out of his control; Tony, Bruce, SHEILD. He had duties to SHIELD, to Fury, to everyone else that worked for the agency, but the Avengers...they were his _family_ , with the addition of Coulson. 

He knew he owed SHIELD, especially Coulson, his life numerous times. He knew they they helped turn his shit hole of a life around, but in the Avengers, with his teammates, he felt more than loyalty. More than debt. He felt love and protectiveness and compassion and he got it in return. The only person he ever felt like that towards before was Natasha, and he could see in her eyes that she felt the same way. Now, there was Steve and Tony and Bruce and Thor. There was Pepper too, and hell even JARVIS and the Hulk. 

There was no way he was leaving Tony here just out of debts to SHEILD.

"We never got a chance to talk to Fury," Natasha said, breaking through the tense, heated silence. 

"What will we say?" Clint asked. He knew where he stood, but he wasn't going to speak for Natasha and Steve as well. 

"We'll tell him he can't take Bruce back to that cell," Natasha decided. "And we'll tell him if he want to keep Tony, then he'll have to keep us too." Clint smiled at her. Sometimes people forgot that she was just a hard ass, not heartless. 

Fury burst through the doors to the SHIELD medical unit not long after. His black trench coat swept the floor and his single eye blazed. 

"What is this," he said loudly enough to silence all of the people in the medical 'lobby' so to speak. "I hear about Tony Stark?" Natasha was the first to step forward, her jaw set and arms crossed.

"There was an accident, Sir. Stark seems to have recreated Banner's fuck up." She explained. Fury blinked twice, hard and slow.

"There's that," He growled, trying to keep himself from throwing his fist at the nearest face. "There's also the fact that Banner," -he turned and glared right at the tiny child on the bench- "is here rather than where I left him. I want a god fucking explanation _now_." Everyone had there eyes fixed on the visibly shaking man, some inching backwards as if he was an atomic bomb.

"The arc reactor is killing Stark," Steve began as he walked forward to stand next to Natasha. 

"Barton got him here as soon as he noticed. I don't know all the medical facts, Director. Talk with your medical personnel if you're curious. As far as Banner...I told you we were going to get him back one way or another. He's a child, he doesn't know who you are, he's scared, and you know as well as anyone, Director, why he shouldn't be separated from people he trusts." Natasha finished for Steve. 

"You all went directly against my orders," Fury spat.

"With all due respect, sir, Banner and Stark aren't your concern. As soon as Stark gets his new um...arc reactor substitute-" Natasha cut Steve off.

"Electromagnet, Cap," She corrected. 

"Yeah, that. As soon as Stark gets his new electromagnet, we're taking him and Banner back to Stark Tower." 

"And what do you plan on doing about it? None of you are at all qualified to try and reverse their mess." Fury brought up the best point, but Natasha was ready.

"We can take care of Banner and Stark. SHIELD can try and fix whatever they did to themselves. We can give you the research Banner was doing before he was turned into a four year old, and you can handle it from there. Leave the child care to us." She compromised. Fury's eyes darted between the SHIELD personnel and the Avengers. 

"Fine. They're your fucking responsibility. If you loose Banner again, I am locking him up. So help me god if you think that I am fucking bluffing. If Stark does anything, and I mean _anything_ as sneezing in the wrong fucking direction, I am locking his ass up. As far as your missions go, I'll let you borrow Coulson. If anyone on the outside, press, Loki, the fucking hobo down the street finds out about this, out. Fucking out. You'll no longer be SHIELD agents. Get your motherfucking shit together, Romanov, Barton, Captain." Fury spun on his heel, leaving no room for arguments or questions. Natasha watched his back, head high and fingers digging into her forearms.

"So fucking be it!" Clint screamed after Fury, his face flushed with anger. Steve held up his hands. He heard enough swearing for one day.

"We got our way, okay guys. We got our way." He turned to see the female doctor they were talking to coming towards them again.

"Stark will be ready to go home tomorrow after his surgery and we can make a phone sized electromagnet for him. You don't have to stay." She said. Steve shook his head.

"I'm staying, just for Tony." Clint stepped up next to Steve.

"I'm staying too. Moral support and all." The archer shared a look with Steve. Natasha glanced back at the watery eyed Bruce and walked up to them. 

"I'm taking Bruce back to the Tower. I'll come up with something to tell him," She said. Steve turned and placed a hand in her shoulder, squeezing it gently. 

"Thank-you Natasha. He's probably terrified after Fury and Tony...and he seems to like you okay," The blonde showed her a lopsided smile. Natasha didn't return it. 

"I should be there to tell Potts too. She'll want all the details and Bruce would probably feel more comfortable with her," Natasha said. Both Clint and Steve nodded their heads in agreement. 

"We'll call if there are any emergencies," Steve said before nodding his head towards Bruce. "Tell us what you told him, too, just so...you know."

"I know," Natasha agreed, looking over at the kid. She made her way through the SHIELD personnel, breathing out a silent sigh of relief. She wasn't sure if Fury would ever relent, but he did and the compromise was more than she could have wished for. She didn't know how speedy SHIELD would be with the research, but at this point they were simply out of options. Beggars couldn't be chosers. 

Bruce looked up at the sound of her footsteps, his brown eyes still wet and his hands clasped together. His fingernails dug into the skin on the back of his hands. "We're going to go back to the Tower and see Pepper, okay?" She said as she offered the child her hand. Bruce delicately took Natasha's hand and hopped down, his feet hitting the floor. She glanced down. He was wearing only his footie pajamas, and he didn't have time to put on shoes before he was dragged to medical with Clint and Tony. Already the feet of his pajamas were covered in dirt from the run from the Camaro to the building. 

"Here," Natasha let go of his hand and gathered him in her arms, tucking him close to her chest as she walked outside. She could feel the eyes of all the SHIELD personnel boring into her back and Clint and Steve gazing at her with warm, cocky smiles. 

-

Pepper didn't know why no one was home when she got back. All it took was one brief explanation from JARVIS before she was on the couch sobbing, head in her hands. She wasn't upset because Tony was little now, four years old like Bruce. No, that would have just made her stressed and anxious, but not sobbing. She had iron tear ducts and an even stronger will and self control, but not when it came to Tony. Never when it came to Tony. People assumed that after seeing him almost die countless times she'd become immune to it; the worry, the hurt, the betrayal, and the eventual relief when she realized he was no worse for wear. 

But the hard reality was every time was like the first.

She'd never admit it to anyone but herself, of course. She always came back with something cheeky, something to divert their eyes and make them think she didn't give a damn. Something for them to write in the news other than just another woman crying over her man. But when Tony was kidnapped, when he was just gone for that first time, it was like the world stopped spinning.

For everyone else it was a tragedy. A great mind with so much purpose and future just gone. But the streets of China were still just as busy, people bought stocks and sold them, babies were born, people lost their jobs and life went on. Not for Pepper though.

That house in Malibu had never felt bigger. Every wall loomed above her, and Tony's downstairs lab like a teenager's basement bedroom reminded her everyday of what she lost. All Pepper knew was JARVIS's voice, the sulky, sad quality to it. All she knew was the inventions Tony had built and would never use again. 

They weren't dating then, but there would never be a time when they wouldn't be seen as an old married couple. And Pepper felt like a widow, loosing the most valuable thing in her life. She didn't understand the feeling, didn't understand why her stomach churned at every picture if him she saw. She didn't understand any of it. 

And then he came back and the world stared spinning again and that awful feeling of ice in her heart and stomach melted away. He came back, bumped and bruised and traumatized to hell and back, but he still came back. That had become a constant in her life from the moment Tony became Ironman. When everything else was changing, she could always count on one thing; for him to come back. 

In the Battle of Manhattan, or the Chitauri Invasion or whatever the fuck you wanted to call that powerful smash up in the middle of New York, he broke her heart again. Watching him on that tv screen, holding the nuclear bomb and flying _towards_ that black hole in the blue of the sky, flying towards the hole where the aliens flew out, just ready to _never come back_. He took her heart with him, making all that long lost ice crystalize and flare through her as fast as he disappeared into that void. 

She thought the one constant in her life was gone. She thought she just saw the only man she loved swallowed up with her heart, her life. He would never understand the roller coaster he set her on, all the pain and worry he caused her. At times she thought she should just skip town, try and get away from all the pain flooring her senses, but her legs would never take her past the front door.

And it was because Tony was her constant. The dips and turns and twirls and hills had become her life. And his coming back was something she'd have for as long as she was alive. Because if he didn't come back, that was that. She wouldn't come back either. 

But it never got easier. After all this time, after seeing his life balance on the brink time and time again it never got easier. She could have a million epiphanies, but at the end of the day she would still have to cut away those icy tendrils when they came rushing back. 

Now was one of those times when she knew she had to compose herself, pick herself up and get herself the fuck back together, but she was still a sobbing mess on the couch. 

JARVIS had told her about the accident and about the arc reactor and that was the worst part. It always would be because it was always about the arc reactor. It either worked or it didn't but it always seemed to cause a problem. And there was nothing anyone could do and that was the scary part. Tony was the only one with enough knowledge to really make one, the only one with working blueprints, and so no one else could do a damn thing if he was detained and it failed. 

That was more or less the situation they were in now. Pepper wanted to run right to SHIELD medical and demand to know all the answers and demand to see him, but she knew it would only cause more harm than help. It would probably only electrify her nerves too. She'd ask someone, Steve or Clint or Natasha when one of them came back. Until then her place was to sit here and just wait for him to come back.

It was probably a little after nine when JARVIS informed her that Natasha was back with Bruce. She had composed her and met the agent and deaged scientist by the elevator. 

"I'm guessing JARVIS told you?" Natasha said as she took in Pepper's rumpled clothes and beat red cheeks. 

"Yes..." Pepper looked at Bruce in Natasha's arms. "Have you...?"

"No, I thought I'd explain it to him in the morning," Natasha said as she adjusted the kid. He was sleeping soundly, his head resting against the redhead's shoulder, velvet eyelids fluttering as he dreamed. 

"Good idea. Here, he can sleep on the couch," Pepper led the way to the couch where Natasha gently deposited Bruce. He instantly curled up in on himself and yawned, bones creaking quietly as he did so. 

"The arc reactor is causing some problems in his chest," Natasha began as she lowered herself down next to Bruce. Pepper sat down too, folding her hands in her lap. "It's putting too much pressure on his lungs, limiting his oxygen supply and taking up the room around his heart. The doctor basically said that if they didn't get it out, it would kill him."

"Taking it out will kill him."

"They're gonna hook him up to an electromagnet to keep the shrapnel out of his heart. They're probably in surgery right now. He also has a raging fever and infection."

"I see...do they think he'll be all right?" 

"It's the only way," Silence followed Natasha's words, leaving them hanging in the room. They all knew the implications. There were no guarantees. 

"What did Fury have to say?" Pepper asked eventually. 

"He was pissed, but he said if we can watch them, they'll try and figure out the cure. If anything goes wrong though, Tony and Bruce are getting locked up." Pepper felt a flash of anger rage through her at Natasha's words. Fury had no right to detain the deaged genius', he had no right.

"Tony will be fine and Fury will not get his hands on them." Pepper said with stubborn finality. 

Tony would come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter soon, I promise! More plotty goodness and action is gonna start after a well needed dose of fluff, so be prepared for that. And check the tags occasionally, I'll be updating them as more ideas come to mind.


	10. A Way Of Coming Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Swearing, nightmare  
> Note: Chapter Ten! I meant to post this yesterday, but I fell asleep at like...six and didn't wake up till like midnight, then I just went back to sleep. So, sorry about that!

Ice and heat danced along his skin with each labored breath. A blush of red was deepened across his cheekbones, dusted down his arms and shoulders like a cloak and tinging the tips of his ears like powder. Tiny, translucent beads dotted his forehead. _Drip, drip, drip_. Sweat rolled off the tip of his nose, splashing onto his collar bone and hollow of his throat. Underneath ropey muscle and sanguine meat was a heart, crowded by a metal tunnel. It fluttered desperately in a frantic, uneven pattern. _Lub-dub, lu-lu-dub, lub-dub_. Tough ribs moved against stretched clammy skin with each slow, painful inflation of lungs. Air whooshed out of his throat like little gusts of wind. 

His eyes moved under his eyelids, mapping out a dream that felt more grounded in reality. He was sitting on a rock, small and little against the desert sky. Caws of crows that don't belong in midnight heat like this, don't belong where their raven black talons, sharp as uncut diamonds, could stroke the sand. Silhouettes of cacti loomed as tall as pine trees, thorns as long as branches. The moon crowded the sky, a soaked crimson, bleeding into the night. Snail tracks of red slipped away in rivets from the frowning moon, connecting the dots of stars. Red was breathed into the ground, staining it like a battlefield. 

And there he sat. The rock was brittle under his hands, coming apart when he gripped it too tight. His hazel eyes gazed at the vermillion moon and the orange kissed horizon. He was lost, but he wasn't panicked. His mother, a ghostly outline somewhere on the mountain fell and rolled down the side, turning into a red river on the way. She rushed towards him, her waters twisting high into waves, slamming against rocks, toppling over cacti.

He tried to run, but the glare of the moon froze him in place. Screams echoed in his ears, some his own and some distant, cries for help. The water rushed towards him, each wave crashing with a _lub-dub lu-lu-dub lub-dub_. Before the current could reach him he was whisked away as he blinked. He was stretched on a table, echoing silence in his ears. Gnarled faces of demons with bloodless lips and sharpened, brown teeth grinned down at him. Their yellow eyes cut through the darkness like a flashlight, seeing right into the aura of his soul.

His eyes flickered down to his chest, peeled back and exposed. Cerise skin stuck to bloody rib bones, meat hung in strings, draped like icy on a cake over the white of his tiny stomach. Grotesque hands reached down, claws tearing through the gap in his chest, twisting under the flesh like raw chicken breast. Veins were a blurry blue against the red, chopped and pulled, strained and cut.

Yet amongst the torn up flesh, the cherry juice blood racing through the pores in his skin, splashed onto his face like water, running out of his eyes like tears was a light illuminating the darkness. It was bluer than blue, richer than sapphire and burning brightly into his retinas. It sent out a halo wider than the pale aquamarine of the ocean. 

The claws reached down again, pulling and twisting the light. With a scream loud enough to burst eardrums, his eyes ripped open. 

The scream had stuck in his throat, never actually tearing itself free. And oh god, he couldn't breathe. There was no oxygen in the air. There was nothing. The room spun and tilted and what was that awful pain in his chest? His throat burned, empty stomach sloshing as he dry heaved. With one more agonizing, useless breath, acid rushed up his throat. The sour yellow dribbled down his chin, dripping on the collar of whatever he was wearing. 

He struggled for air, eyes watering and hand gripping the plastic handle to the bed he was laying on. Breathe. Calming breaths. He closed his eyes and breathed, sucking the oxygen from the air and breathing. 

Slowly he calmed, the air returning to his lungs. The pressure in his chest had been imaginary, but the coolness surrounding it had not. He could feel the oxygen tubes in his nose and the needle in his arm. What had happened? He remembered falling asleep, the dream, and the no air. 

His eyes flickered down to his chest. He couldn't see anything through the drug induced film covering his eyes. His sweaty hair flopped in front of his eyes as his head fell back against the pillow. Something had gone wrong when was asleep. He'd always been a bit on insomniac, and he knew that sometimes insomnia evolved into sleep apnea...but that wouldn't explain the feeling of wind whistling through his chest. 

He blinked, trying to clear his vision as he turned his stiff neck, eyes drifting over towards the door. There was no mistaking that he was in a hospital room. Just the blinding white of the room was enough to confirm that, and god knows he'd been in one often enough to know. 

He knew he couldn't talk, not with his throat this raw and his lips cracked from dehydration. So much for excellent care. He glanced down at his hand and saw the red button he was supposed to push if he needed assistance. His numb fingers fumbled with the button for a moment before he managed to push it.

Almost immediately a man burst in, his hair in disarray and glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. He was fumbling with a clipboard in his hands. He let the door close loudly behind him. "Mr. Stark," The man greeted breathlessly. He didn't appear to be a doctor, but perhaps a nurse. Tony just stared at him quizzically, all though it was hard because the man kept swimming and morphing into various shapes in his vision.

"Where-where am I? What happened?" Tony manages between dry lips. The nurse hummed and looked behind him. 

"Yeah, um...it's not really my place to tell you that kid- er I mean sir! Sorry sir, I'll just," -the man pointed back at the door with his thumb- "I'll just to get someone..." He turned  
like a frightened deer and left the room, calling for someone named Rogers. Tony let his eyes drift shut, his unsteady heart beat beginning to match the throbbing in his brain. He could feel a migraine coming on fast. 

It wasn't long before the door opened again and in stepped a tall, muscular blond man in jeans and a tired looking smaller blondish man also in jeans. Both of them had alert blue eyes however. 

"Tony?" The taller blond man questioned quietly. Tony gazed at the man, trying to put a name to a face, but nothing was coming to him.

"That's what they call me," Tony snarked, fighting back a cough. "You wouldn't happen to know where my old man is, would you? Or perhaps why I'm in the hospital?" The tall blond man shared a look with the shorter man before creeping forward a few steps. Tony could feel his stomach twisting bitterly and sloshing with fear. 

"Your mother and father had to attend an emergency meeting in...uh," The tall man grimaced as he obviously tried to think of some lie.

"Pakistan," The shorter man interjected. Tony's eyes darted between both men and he instantly knew they were lying. It was a sure sign someone was lying when they had to finish each others lies. He kept his mouth shut though. He could be arrogant, but he wasn't stupid. Something trippy was going on here and his mother and father always taught him to be quiet and passive if he was ever kidnapped. Sure, a hospital didn't seem like an underground bunker they talked about for a hideout location, but to each his own, Tony supposed. 

"Yes, Pakistan. Your father asked us to watch you. I'm Steve Rogers and this is Clint Barton." The tall man -Steve- explained. Tony couldn't help his snort of disbelief.

"Steve Rogers? You mean the very dead Captain America that daddy-o never stopped talking about?" Tony was used to people lying to him, but this tool was doing a very shitty job. 'Steve' glanced over to Clint, a look of helplessness in his features. Clint stepped forward.

"I'm a SHIELD agent," He greeted. "Captain America has been off ice for years, but it's classified information. We just told your father when he was leaving for Pakistan. For now, he's just Steve Rogers." The agent explained. Tony stared at him skeptically. Tony knew that something was wrong here, but he couldn't let them onto his knowledge. He pretended to take the bait.

"I see...so you're my babysitters?" Tony asked, his eyes flickering between both men. He had his...concerns that he'd been kidnapped, but if he was why would he be in the hospital? Speaking of which..."Do you know why I'm in here?"

"Yes..." Steve began slowly. "A couple nights ago, when you were sleeping, you're heart stopped beating. Your parents got you here just in time for them to install an artificial heart. Just...look at your chest." Tony knew they were shitting him now. Completely. Just to humor them he lifted up the sheet he was covered with and peered underneath it. 

The sight took his breath away. He was shirtless under the sheet, and there, in the center of his chest was an empty metal tunnel with wires coming out of it and disappeared out from under the sheet. Swollen veins and muscles decorated his chest in an intricate pattern. Well, that explained the chest pains. 

"What?" Tony could feel cold hands grabbing at him, causing the hairs on the back of his neck. "What is this? Where are my mom and dad?" The situation was rapidly becoming scary, so much that tears pricked at his eyes, as he stared at the gap in his chest.

"It's okay, they're away right now," Steve soothed, stepping forward and dropping into the chair by Tony's bed. "They'll be back soon and that it keep you alive," -the blond pointed over the bed as a small battery, about the size of a phone. I knew -know- your father, and he trusts me with you, okay? I promise we won't hurt you."

"Why-why did this happen?"

"The doctor's think it's genetic," Clint stepped forward. "You had an infection in your chest, which is why your veins look so weird. But, tomorrow you can come back home." 

"Mom and dad just left me?" Tony squeaked quietly, as if he didn't mean to say it aloud. Tony knew that his father didn't...care all that much for him, but he didn't think both of them would abandon him with these chest problems. Hurt that really shouldn't be there poured through him like floodgates opening. They just left him. They just left him with these strangers. 

"Nah, kid, they're coming back just as soon as they can." Clint said with the first smile shared in the room. Steve nodded and allowed a smile of his own to leak onto his face. 

"So, how are you feeling?" The blond asked. Tony looked down at the huge gap in his chest and swallowed thickly. 

"I'm...tired." He said honestly. He was beat, but that was disregarding the fact that he was also scared out of his fucking mind, could barely breathe, his stomach was in a million and two knots and his head roared like it when you were underwater. But in all truthfulness, all Tony wanted to do was close his eyes and wake up from this nightmare. 

"Alright, we can leave you to sleep for a bit and come back later." Steve said, still wearing that fake smile. Tony only nodded, still looking at the hole in his chest. Now that he thought about it, through the throb in his head he could make out the whine of a battery working.

He didn't see the two adults leave, but he looked over when he heard the door click shut. As soon as he got out of this bed -tomorrow- he was going to find a phone and call his father or mother. There was no way these people were who they said they were. 

-

The hours until tomorrow drug painfully on, and it didn't help that Tony was as restless as could be. He got a solid three hours after Steve and Clint left, but after that his back cramped up and he wanted so badly to turn onto his side, but the couldn't. Not with the hole in his chest and the wire leading out of it. 

They came back for him when the clock on the wall read 8:17 AM. Steve looked freshly showered, blond hair darkened from the shower and slicked back with a comb. Clint looked a little frazzled, as if he had just gotten up, and his dirty blond hair was crazily arranged atop his head. 

"Ready, kid?" Clint asked as a female doctor in a long white coat came in. She was holding a clipboard and smiling warmly. 

"Yeah," Tony said sheepishly. He was well aware of the dark bags bedecking his face and the stark contrast of his paper white skin against his dark hair, but he couldn't bring himself to care. 

The doctor moved forward, jotted a few things down on the clipboard and sat in the chair next to his bed. 

"See that?" She pointed over him at the small battery buzzing quietly on the table. "That is what is keeping you alive. It's very important not to disconnect any wires, or break the battery, or to crush it, or anything else like that. We have antibiotics we're going to give you too." The doctor smiled. "Are you ready to go with Mr. Barton and Mr. Rogers?" Tony gave little nods throughout the doctor's instructions. 

The doctor stood up and moved around the bed, picking up the small electromagnet with the upmost care. "Can you sit up?" She asked. Tony used his hands and feet to pushed himself from his prone position into a sitting one. It didn't _hurt_ exactly, but he could feel the pressure of the metal straining against his chest with his movements. 

Once he was sitting, he heaved in shallow breaths, trying his hardest not to look down at his chest. He felt suddenly very self conscious now that the blanket had slipped down, pooling around his hips. "Alright," The doctor's unnaturally icy cold hand grasped his upper arm and supported him until his little, bare feet hit the ground. He was wearing only grey boxers that just brushed the top of his kneecap. 

"Take this," The doctor said. Tony held out his hand and she pressed the small battery into it. The electromagnet felt cool against his palm, but he couldn't help but feel more secure with his life force in his hand. "Here," She walked over to a small cabinet and rummaged through it. She returned to Tony's side holding a big yellow shirt. "We don't have anything smaller. It won't hurt to have anything touch or on the wires, just don't break them or pull at them, okay?" Tony nodded and accepted the shirt wordlessly. He tugged it over his head carefully but quickly. He breathed out a sigh of relief at the feeling of being covered once more.

"Anything else we should know?" Steve asked. Tony shuffled awkwardly over to the two men, hand closing and opening anxiously around the electromagnet. Clint put his hand on Tony's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze, smiling down at the shaggy head of brown hair. Tony looked up under his brow at him and smiled too. 

"Are you hungry, kid?" Clint asked as Steve shared a few, quiet words with the SHEILD doctor. Tony laughed a little and nodded. Now that he thought about it, he could feel hunger gnawing at his stomach.

"Lets go," Steve said after thanking the doctor. Clint steered Tony out of the room and through the hallway. His hand remained safely on the little billionaire's shoulder. 

-

"We're headed back," Clint said as he turned on the car's blinker, jerking the wheel to the left. Tony peeked forward between the two seats, seeing a touch phone attached to car's speakers. A picture of an angry looking redheaded woman was the caller I.D. The name 'Tash.O' was above the photo. Clint seemed to find it humorous by the way he smirked at the phone, but honestly Tony didn't get it. 

"Good. I'll tell Pepper. Banner's still asleep; you'll have to help me explain this to him." The redhead, 'Tash.O', said over the phone. The call cut before Clint could respond. Tony stifled his laughter as he returned his gaze to the city. Guess they flew him quite a ways to a special hospital. 

"What do you want to tell Banner about this? We don't know if anything will...happen." Steve asked in a hushed whisper just loud enough for Tony to make out. The young child had no idea who this 'Banner' they kept talking about was, and what they were fussing over, but his curiosity was definitely flared up. 

"We could tell him a witch waved her wand and brought him a brother." Clint deadpanned. Steve sighed and looked out the window, dropping his chin into his hand. 

They pulled up to a tall building not long after the call with the redhead ended. Clint steered the car into what Tony presumed was the garage, albeit it was unlike any garage Tony had ever seen. There was what looked like lab equipment, and three expensive cars of different colors. Most looked to be under construction of some sort. 

Clint put on the brakes and put the car in park. "Home sweet home!" He smiled as he grabbed him phone and stepped out. He backed up a few paces and raked his eyes over the exterior. "Pepper will never know this was driven before." Steve stepped out of the car and walked around to let Tony out. The child hopped down, the floor cold on his feet. 

"Want me to pick you up?" Steve asked. He was diverting his eyes and his face was dusted pink, as if he was embarrassed to do such a thing. Tony wasn't sure why; everyone picked him up. And like he was going to miss a piggy back ride from Captain America. 

"Yeah, I do." Tony smiled and stretched his arms up, wiggling his fingers at the tall man. He bent down and wrapped Tony into his arms. He struggled slightly, despite Tony's light weight. It was as if he'd never picked up a child before. Tony gripped his battery close to him in a tight fist as he clambered out of Steve's arms and onto his shoulders, wrapping his thighs around the man's neck and grabbing a fistful of his still damp blond hair. 

"Say hi, JARVIS!" Clint said as he waved at the ceiling. They started towards the elevator set off in the corner. 

"Greetings, Agent Barton, Captain Rogers, Master Stark." A British voice echoed. Tony startled, his hand tightening in Steve's hair as he jerked his eyes up to the ceiling. The disembodied voice seemed to be all around him, like an echo. 

"What was that?" He asked in awe. Clint smirked over at the child sitting atop Steve's shoulders. 

"That was an artificial intelligence named JARVIS. Someone told me once it stood for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System." Clint explained. Tony could hear the laughter in Clint's voice. He seemed to be an...exceptionally cheerful individual. 

"Oh. I think I'm going to like JARVIS." Tony said as he grinned at the ceiling. 

"I think you'll like him too." Clint said back. 

"I do hope so, Sir." JARVIS added in quietly. Maybe, Tony thought as he chuckled, it wouldn't be so bad staying with these people. If not better than staying with his folks. If this is what kidnapping was like, Tony didn't see why everyone always freaked out about it. 

They rode the elevator up for what seemed like hours. Tony couldn't remember ever being in an elevator that long, but then again he couldn't remember ever seeing a house with technology like this. And this was a house, Tony assumed, even if it seemed a hell of a lot more like an office building. 

When they finally reached the floor they were greeted by two redheaded females. One had a splatter of freckles across her nose, her pale almost orange hair just brushing her shoulders. She was wearing black sweatpants and a tight white tank top with a black overcoat. Her eyes were inflamed, like she'd been crying and hadn't seen sleep for a while.

The other redhead was more composed. Her sanguine hair curled just around her ears, tickling the nape of her neck. She was wearing a stylish white blouse and black jeans, one eyebrow cocked at them. 

At the sight of the trio, the more distraught redhead let out a little, involuntarily cry. She instantly pulled Tony off of Steve's shoulders and squeezed him to her chest so tightly Tony couldn't suck in a breath. He held out the hand holding the electromagnet to avoid it getting crushed. 

"Oh thank god," The woman breath ruffled his hair as she placed a kiss on his forehead. Tony frowned and subtly pushed against her chest to distance himself. Sensing his discomfort and recomposing herself, lowered Tony to the ground. She huffed and brushed her awry bangs out of her eyes. Tony could see the glisten of tears in her green iris'. 

"He's got a clean bill of health, more or less." Clint said. He and the other redhead locked eyes and moved off discreetly. Tony caught a glimpse of them whispering to each other in the corner. 

"Bummer," The remaining woman laughed lightly. She bent down so she was eye level with Tony and held out her hand. "I'm Pepper Potts. I work for your father." She greeted. "I met you when you were very little, I don't image you remember." 

"I don't." Tony said bluntly, but he made sure to keep his tone light enough. Pepper's mouth twitched and she pulled Tony into a brief hug before standing again. 

"Over there is Natasha," Pepper said. Natasha looked over briefly at the sound of her name. Her green eyes dipped down to Tony's for the briefest second before flickering back to Clint.

"Clint called her on the way...he said her name was Tash.O." Tony mused aloud. Pepper let out a clipped laugh that sounded more like a breath of relief. 

"Of course he did."

-

"Bruce?" Pepper's knuckles rapped lightly against the guest room door. Before Tony got back, they moved Bruce to the nearest guest room. It wouldn't do anyone good to have him wake up and see Tony before they had time to explain. 

From outside the door, Pepper heard a faint yawn and shuffling of blankets. Clint and Natasha were both with Tony eating breakfast and Steve was with her. 

Pepper pushed open the door and peeked her head inside. Bruce was groggily whipping at his eyes and blinking to clear them. His curly brown hair was ruffled, and his pajamas bunched up. Pepper and Steve slipped into the room and made their way to the bed. Steve remained standing at the end and Pepper eased herself down next to Bruce. The bed dipped slightly under her added weight. 

"Good morning, Bruce," She smiled warmly, brushing a stray curly out of his brown eyes. The child smiled back at her and toyed with the blanket gripped in his hands, tugging it up under his chin.

"Where's Tony?" Bruce asked sleepily. Pepper felt her heart sink into her stomach as she glanced down at the floor. How would she break it to him? They'd grown so close...

"Well, honey, Tony had to go on an emergency business trip, and he won't be back for a while. But-but he wanted me to tell you that he cares about you very much, and that he'll watch Star Trek with you as soon as he gets back." Pepper explained carefully. Bruce's eyes had left hers halfway through the conversation, his fingers picking at the string on his blanket that had fallen from his chin. Pepper could practically see the disappointment radiating off of him.

"But his son, Anthony, is here," Pepper offered. "Tony Jr." Bruce looked up at her, his expression guarded. 

"He-he has a son?"

"Yeah, he's your age. He was with his mom." Pepper confirmed. Bruce nodded slightly, continuing to pick at the string. Pepper glanced back at Steve who was chewing idly at his lip. "Do you want to come meet him? I think you two will get along." Pepper said, looking back at that bent curly head. 

"Okay." Bruce whispered. Pepper smiled and patted his knee, helping the kid untangle from the blankets. He was still wearing the Hulk footie pajamas and Pepper couldn't help but ogle how cute he was. She could even see the amusement in Steve's eyes as he watched Bruce pad out in front of them. 

They walked down the hall and into the kitchen, seeing Clint, Natasha, and Tony, carelessly swinging his feet, eating toast. Clint and Natasha spotted Bruce first and fell silent. Tony caught in quick enough, his hazel eyes dropping to Bruce who was sandwiched between Pepper and Steve's legs. Almost instantly, Bruce inched behind Pepper's legs, his hand whipping out and grabbing Pepper's sweatpant leg. 

"Tony, this is Bruce Banner," Pepper said, looking from the deaged billionaire to the deaged scientist. "And Bruce, this is Tony Stark."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is probably like the longest story I've ever written, whoop!


	11. To Those Born Without Chances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Swearing  
> A/N: Another chapter up! Unbetaed and (thought I'd throw another disclaimer in here, its been a while) I own nothing. This is unedited, but I skimmed over it so hopefully the number of errors isn't too offensive.   
> Oh I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviews (you guys are seriously my fuel), to anyone who kudos (my warm and fuzzy feeling I get from those) and my homie lurkers (seriously guys and gals, mostly gals I assume *I'm not sexist, I promise* I am just like you. Read and approve or disapprove from afar. ) Bottomline is I appreciate you all, so thank you. And I'm flattered. Very flattered.

They didn't like each other. It came as a shock to everyone; Coulson, Natasha, Pepper, and certainly Steve. It wasn't like they fought or anything, Bruce was way too shy to engage in that sort of thing, but they ignored each other and sat at opposite ends of the table during meal times. Pepper, for the life of her, didn't understand why they wouldn't click they did every other time they'd been forced together. 

Maybe it was the fact that Bruce was so much quieter and reserved than Tony, and as a kid it didn't fly with him. Maybe it was the fact that Tony was constantly getting yelled at for breaking things and hiding in obscure locations and all of that made Bruce uncomfortable. Steve suggested some exercises that might strength their non existent bridge, but Pepper said she wasn't sure if that was the best idea. She didn't want to force Tony and Bruce to hang out with each other if they didn't want to.

As far as Tony went, he found Bruce...unapproachable and quite frankly, weird. He never said anything to anyone besides the adults, minus Phil, and this had Tony thinking he was some sort of retard. Secondly, he never asked for anything or really did much besides sitting around and sketching, just like Steve. Thirdly, he was a suck up. He never went against the adult's rules, or complained about eating his veggies or anything else that put frowns on their faces. 

In the week since Tony met Bruce, he decided it was best to ignore him and snicker behind his back. Bruce didn't seem adverse to this, nor did he seem to approve of it, but then again he was so monotone all the time it was hard to tell how he felt about anything. 

But the discomfort was a two way street. Bruce would regard Tony's antics from his place curled up on the couch. He broke things, colored on things, ripped things apart, _ate everything_ , and after Steve or Pepper got done telling him not to do that, he turned around and did it again. It was as if he had no self preservation instinct. 

Bruce could see the resemblance between Tony's father and him, but Tony Senior wasn't just hyper and loud and witty, but there was a sort of sense around him, like an aura that drew Bruce in. This Tony was all glamor and diva, like he wanted the spotlight on him at all times and actively tried to get it, while Tony Senior was already naturally in the limelight. 

"I think we should go to the park," Pepper said out of the blue. It was a slow morning, nobody was even dressed, but the morning light was beginning to breakdown the haze in the sky. Weak streams were splashed across the floor through the open window. 

"Yeah?" Clint asked as he chewed idly at a crispy piece of bacon. Tony bounced in his seat. 

"Ice cream!" He chortled happily, smiling widely. Bruce's too big brown eyes slid over to the energetic child and he just hunkered down further in his chair. At the very least, Tony usually distracted the adults away from Bruce. 

Clint reached over and clapped Tony on the shoulder. "At least his mind's in the right place." Pepper smiled at him across the table.

"And we can play tag, or frisbee, or something." She suggested. Tony grinned again, a big doggy grin. "What do you think, Bruce?" Pepper glanced over at the reserved child. He gave a little shrug as he nibbled on his juice straw. Tony shot a look over at Bruce and held back a snort. 

Another shrug, another indifference. Tony had half a mind to suggest they leave him behind. Someone with so little personality (and obviously decreased intelligence) was never fun to hang out with. When Tony asked Pepper who Bruce was the night after he met him, she responded with a vague, poorly fabricated lie. 

"Well, we can go for a bit and if you have fun we can stay, 'kay?" Pepper suggested. Tony looked back over at Bruce who didn't say anything. 

"Can we get a dog?" Tony asked suddenly. "Dad hates dogs." Pepper rolled her green eyes back to Tony.

"No, Tony," She sighed, exasperated. "We cannot get a dog."

"Worth a try," Tony defended as he picked up his electromagnet and slid off the chair. 

Pepper stood up too and followed him back to his bedroom, leaving Bruce with Clint and Natasha. 

"Tony, you gotta take a bath." Pepper said as she shut the door behind her. In the week they had him, Tony had only bathed twice, and really it was just him rubbing himself down with a damp wash cloth and wetting his hair. Tony looked back at her and then the electromagnet in his hand.

"It'll short circuit." He protested. There was no way he was getting fully submerged in water so it could all rush into the gap in his chest and short circuit the wires. 

"No it won't. Remember the covering Steve showed you? It just goes over the gap and the battery and it's waterproof." Pepper argued. Tony was stubborn enough as an adult, as a child he was fucking unmovable. Tony crossed his arms childishly and pouted.

"What if it isn't?" 

"It _is_. Come here, we're taking a bath," Pepper reached over and grabbed Tony's arm hard enough to keep him from escaping but not so hard to bruise. Tony whined as she dragged him to the bathroom, his unrestrained arm pushing against her. 

She pulled him into the bathroom and kicked the door shut, locking it behind her. Fortunately, the lock was too high for Tony to reach. She walked around the kid who had plopped himself down in the center of bathroom and rubbed at him arm and turned on the bath, adjusting it to the appropriate temperature. 

She rummaged around in the cabinet above the sink and pulled out a plastic cap for Tony's chest and electromagnet. "Get undressed, Tony," She ordered as she stood above him with the covering. He frowned up at her.

"Well, that's weird." He continued to sit. Pepper bent down and pulled him to the feet.

"Get undressed, Tony!" She could practically feel the tears of anger pressing against her eyes. She couldn't do it. Tony grumbled as he complied, maneuvering out of his sleeping shirt and tossing it aside. He wiggled out of his sweatpants and kicked them aside too. He crossed his arms over his tiny chest and continued to pout. 

"Here," Pepper said as she bent down and gathered the electromagnet from Tony's hand. She pooled the wires and battery around the channel in his chest and pressed the plastic cap over it until the end rested against his skin. She then reached around and pulled the two plastic buckles around Tony's back and fastened them together just below his shoulder blades. Tony squirmed and instantly went to paw at the uncomfortable plastic cup on his body. "Stop," Pepper said as she pulled his hands away from his body. She kissed each one of his knuckles and looked him in the eye.

"Stop," She repeated. Tony refused to meet her gaze.

"I did," He responded sulkily. Pepper straightened and gestured for him to get undressed completely. To give the kid some privacy, she turned so she faced the wall. She didn't turn back around until she heard the splash of Tony getting into the tub. The water was filled nearly to his pectorals. She turned off the water. 

"See? Not so bad, is it?" She smiled as she gathered some water into her hand and dumped it atop his head. The water rolled down his forehead and dripped off the tip of his nose. It dripped onto the plastic covering with a little splash, harmlessly rolling off of it.

"Still sucks," He responded as he grudgingly allowed Pepper to scrub her fingers through his greasy hair and nape. She stretched across the tub to get the shampoo when the front of her shirt was suddenly very, very wet. Astonished, she sat back on her heels with the shampoo gripped in her hand. She glanced down at her front. Her white sleeping shirt was now more of a dark grey over her stomach and chest, clinging to her bones. Tony grinned devilishly from the tub. Pepper's jaw clicked as she studied him and shook her head. 

"Unacceptable, Tony. Unacceptable." 

"Baths are unacceptable," He retorted sharply. Pepper shook her head again and popped open the cap to the shampoo, pouring some onto the palm of her hand. She scooted closer to the bath and a little more roughly than necessary pulled and rubbed at his hair with her soapy palms. Tony fidgeted under her hands, ducking his head in a half assed attempt to get away. Fortunately, he didn't seen too keen on falling face first into the tub and risking dislodging the covering over his chest. 

After soaping up his hair, Pepper reached for the soap and smeared it all over his back, leaving behind a faint white residue. She brought the soap all the way down to the small of his back that was hiding under the water, around the covering, over his shoulders and all the way down his arms to his hands. She dipped her hand under the watered and grasped his foot, scrubbing the soap over the tiny foot vigorously. 

While Pepper ran the soap over his body and poured water over his head and squirted conditioner onto his head just crossed his arms and bore it. 

Finally, after what seemed like hours, like were done. Pepper held up the towel from Tony to step into. She rubbed the cloth all over his body before ruffling his damp hair with in. 

"We're gonna keep the cup on until you dry completely," Pepper decided as she wrapped the towel around Tony like a dress. They both padded out of the bathroom and Pepper left Tony for him to get dressed. She had to go get herself ready anyhow. 

_

When Pepper finished getting ready she came out to see Clint teaching Tony how to do a first person shooter game and Steve and Bruce quietly drawing on the floor. Natasha was nowhere in sight. Tony was sitting in the couch dressed in dark wash jeans, a white shirt with a black Stark Industries logo across it, and white socks. His hair was still slightly damp and swept to the side with a comb. Clint had gotten dressed and was wearing a tight purple shirt that accented his muscular arms, his hair was gelled, and he had boots and dark jeans on. Steve was dressed in a casual blue t-shirt with light blue jeans and Bruce, spread out on his stomach beside him, wore a red science shirt and black jeans. 

Pepper couldn't help but feel out of place in her jean shorts and white blouse, but ah well. 

"You guys ready?" She asked with as much enthusiasm that she could muster. Clint stretched and shook his head. 

"I gotta go to SHIELD. Catch up with Tasha." He yawned. 

"Steve?" Pepper asked with a silent beg. She didn't think she could handle Tony on her own. The blond nodded and gathered his feet underneath him. 

"Yeah, I'm coming." He stood up and offered his hand to Bruce. The deaged scientist tentatively took it, a shy smile on his face.

"Uh-huh. You promised ice cream." Tony reminded as he chewed on his lip, his fingers rapidly pressing a button on the X-Box controller. 

"I did," Pepper nodded. "And I'm driving the Camaro."

-

"Get your ass back here!" Pepper's scream caused perfectly respectable people to shot strange looks her way. She was running across the park in bare feet after Tony, who was surprisingly fast for his short legs. Little fuck had taken her phone and was doing god knows what with it. Bruce and Steve were jogging behind her. 

Tony's little feet flew across the grass as he ran, weaving around people too slow to move out of his way. He could feel his heart rapidly beating against the channel in his chest, but it was either stand a little discomfort or get caught by a now thoroughly irate Pepper.

He rounded a corner and dashed in front of a horse and carriage ride. The large animal shook its head, but otherwise didn't acknowledge the child. The carriage driver watched with an irritated expression as the child ran off, followed by a redheaded woman. 

Tony threw a glanced back over his shoulder but lost sight of Pepper through the crowd. He ducked behind a large man and threw himself behind a thick bush. Panting, he gathered his knees to his chest and gripped the phone in one hand and the electromagnet in the other. 

He heard Pepper's shout over the blood roaring in his ears and smiled smugly. She deserved it, for giving him a bath and all. 

He sat there for about ten minutes, once Pepper's voice had faded when he heard a rustling beside him. He glanced over, expecting to see Steve or Pepper, but the face that stared back at him was one with too big brown eyes and a head of curly hair. 

Tony's hand whipped out and he grabbed the front of Bruce's shirt, dragging him behind the bush. "Shh." Tony demanded, lifting a finger to his lips. "Where are they?" Bruce stared at Tony with wide eyes before gently reaching up and prying the billionaire's fingers off of his shirt. The kid had been driving the adults crazy with worry for the past ten minutes.

"Out there," Bruce nodded vaguely past the bush with his head. "Pepper says were gonna get ice cream." Tony's ears perked up but only briefly. 

"Don't you dare tell, snitch." Tony warned as he peered around the bush. 

"I-" Bruce wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to upset Tony, but lying to the adults would probably be much worse. Although, was it lying if he simply didn't say anything? Tony looked at him.

"Are you slow?" Tony asked.

"Slow? I'm not very fast..." Bruce responded awkwardly. He wasn't used to interactions with other children, especially not ones like Tony. 

"I didn't mean how fast you could run. Never mind. Just don't tell 'kay?" Tony said, his voice a little softer. 

"Oh," Bruce said, sidestepping Tony's request once more. Honestly, he'd rather just stay out of it. It wasn't any of his business how Tony wanted to psych out the adults. They sat in an awkward silence for a while before Tony spoke again.

"Lets go," He said, straightening and peering over the top of the bush. He didn't see Pepper or Steve anywhere. Bruce stood up too and followed Tony's lead. The two children jogged across the grass towards a fountain. People awed at the marble design.

Water spouted into the air, sending droplets onto people standing too close. Water pooled down into the bottom, sliding down rivets in the fountain. Tony and Bruce weaved their way through the crowd to stand at the foot of the fountain. Tony peered over the edge, seeing the distorted image of dull copper pennies sitting at the bottom of the fountain. 

"Would you like a penny?" A scratchy voice said from behind them. Bruce spun around on his heel, heart beating violently against his ribcage. Tony turned around much smoother, but his eyes were still wary. "Would you like a penny?" The man asked again. He was elderly, leaning on a cane and mouth chewing at his toothless gums. His head was mostly bald besides a few white wisps. His dull blue eyes sagged and seemed clouded over, as if he was blind. 

"Uh..." Bruce hummed. His mother always told him not to talk to strangers and certainly never to accept anything from them. Coincidentally, Tony's own mother told him the same thing. The only difference between them was that Tony didn't listen to his mother.

"Yes, Mister Ninety-Nine!" Tony said jovially. The man's gnarled hand reached back into his pocket and he pulled out two glistening pennies. He handed one to Tony and one to Bruce. Then, he pointed past them to the fountain.

"Make one wish," He instructed. "Make one wish, kids, and make it count." Bruce's eyes fell to the overly shiny penny. The man turned and hobbled away, can hitting quietly against the ground. Tony turned the penny over in his fingers and turned towards the fountain.

"I wish people would stop handing me things," Tony declared loudly as he flicked the penny into the fountain, the coin floating to the bottom. Bruce leaned over the marble edge of the fountain. He made a silent wish as he plopped his penny in alongside Tony's. He watched it float through the bottom through the thin, hyaline water. 

After looking at the pennies images warp to new shapes beneath the water, the two four years olds moved off. No one paid them any mind, so they strolled along sharing few words. 

Meanwhile Steve and Pepper were frantically tearing through the park. They asked everyone they came across if they'd seen two four year olds, but most people just waved them off or grunted some unintelligible in response. It must have been a half hour before they fell into the nearest bench in an attempt to gather their train of thought. 

"Okay, are they together?" Pepper asked, running her fingers through her tangled hair. 

"It seems like they must be..." Steve mused. They hadn't got along though and it definitely wasn't like Bruce to just wander off, even with someone else. 

"Oh my god, Steve, what if-what if someone took them," Pepper's hand slowly went up to cover her mouth as she tried to fight through her panic. It was just like Tony to go missing right when she got him back. "They're kids and we're in the middle of New York. Oh my god, what if they told someone who they were. Oh my god...." Pepper sat up straighter. Oh no. Steve placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"I'm sure nothing like that happened, okay? There are too many people, it's just too obvious. They're probably just hiding out somewhere." He reassured himself and Pepper. It wasn't like they could call in for help, Fury's warning still rang loudly in Steve's head and it had only been a half hour. They were kids; they were probably just playing an elaborate game of hide and seek. Pepper nodded and breathed in deeply. 

"Okay, I'm sure you're right. I'm sure they're fine." Pepper stood up and smoothed down the front of her blouse and hair.Together they continued to scope out the park, wandering past a busy marble fountain. They stopped to ask people if they'd seem them when someone cleared their throat behind them. Pepper and Steve turned around to see an old man with a cane, smiling at them.

"I saw you're sons," The old man began. "I didn't realize they had wandered away from their parents or else I would've kept them here and gone to find you." Pepper and Steve exchanged a look with each other.

"Thank you, Sir. Could you tell us where they went?" Pepper asked, relief seeping into her tone. Surely if this man had seen them, and remembered seeing them they couldn't be too far. 

"Uh, I believe they went that way, Ma'am. Bright looking young lads..." The old man smiled as he gestured to a path leading away from the fountain. "Children, always causing an uproar. Back in my day we would've been strapped for behaving like that. Maybe it was better than way," The man let out a wheezy laugh and Pepper grounded out a chuckle.

"Yes, well, they're a handful. Thank you so much. We just...gotta go get them," Pepper grabbed Steve's arm and dragged him behind her. He stumble to catch up. They set a brisk pace, looking behind every statue, tree, and god damn bicycle rack for the missing Avengers. 

"At least they're together." Steve said as he finished checking behind a trash can. Pepper sighed and reluctantly agreed. If push came to shove, they were both genius' and would probably be better equipped to handle an emergency than two grown adults. 

"At least," Pepper responded dryly. This part of the park was quieter and more dense with trees and grass than walkways and statues. The breeze was blowing through the treetops, creating a low whistle, and the swish if grass filled in the mostly yawning silence. The only other sound that could be heard was the faint, distant noise of cars on busy city streets. 

There was, of course, the occasional person snapping a picture of a particularly interesting yellow flower, to eating lunch under the shade of a tree, but it felt more like a suburban park rather than the Central Park. 

Naturally Pepper didn't distrust people, or locations, or hell even times of the day, but finally she was understanding why parents always freaked out when they couldn't find their kid, even in broad daylight with plenty of people around. And this scared her. She wasn't Tony's mother, she was his girlfriend (which was now admittedly slightly awkward for her to think about) and she shouldn't have to feel like this. Like these were her two troublesome sons making her hair gray much too early.

-

Tony and Bruce wandered amongst the trees where there were very few people. The shade hid them from the brilliant rays of the sun and spared their milky skin of a sunburn. After they tired of walking, they found a nice place under a weeping willow to sit down and pick at the grass. 

Tony sat Pepper's phone aside (he put it on silence after getting a bunch if calls from Steve) and sat his electromagnet next to it. Bruce watched him delicately rearrange the wires under his shirt before speaking.

"What-what happened?" Bruce asked, gesturing vaguely at the other kid's chest. Tony looked down and shrugged. 

"The doctors said my heart failed or something. I'm not really sure how this," -Tony nodded at the electromagnet- "is keeping me alive, but you know." He shrugged.

"Yeah," Bruce replied monotonously. "Do you-did your father talk about me?" He asked shyly. Tony eyed him with carefully masked suspicion.

"I can't say he did. Why?" Tony was never really around his father anyhow, so if he did mention some kid named Bruce, he probably wouldn't know it.

"Oh. Okay. I was just...wondering." Bruce signed and pick at a strand of grass he held between his fingers. 

"You know, you're not as lame as I thought you were." Tony mused with a smile. Bruce ducked his head in embarrassment, but didn't suffocate the smile like he normally did. 

"And you're not as annoying as I thought you were." Bruce said daringly. He peeked up from under his brow to see Tony's reaction. The other kid just had a small smile on his face.

"Do you think they're looking for us?"

"Probably," Bruce hesitated before asking his next question. "Do you think they're lying to us?" Tony gazed at him before nodding vigorously.

"No doubt about it, my friend. I can tell you that Captain America is not alive-"

"I agree."

"-and if someone like Pepper worked for my father I would've known about it. Not to mention the 'heart failure' I had over night. My dad always taught me to be prepared for things like this, when he talked to me at all." 

"Do you think the-that battery thing is a tracking device? Maybe hooked up to her phone? And maybe it operates from your heart?" Bruce asked as he crawled forward to look at the battery.

"I wouldn't doubt it," -Tony snapped his fingers as he allowed Bruce to pick up and roll the electromagnet in his hands- "that's why she got so mad when I ran off with the phone." They sat in silence after that, both of them gathering evidence. It was a while before they decided to move, yawns escaping their throats and bones cracking as they did so. Tony led the way out of the little forest until they once again came across clean cut grass, concrete pathways, and people. 

-

"Hey," A man with cropped short hair elbowed a man with a shaved glossy head beside him. The bald man looked over, scowling. 

"What is it, Lewis?" He snapped tiredly. The short haired man, Lewis, pointed two small kids wandering across the park, chatting with each other. 

"See them? They don't got any parents." This caused the bald man to sit up straight from the bench he was hunched back against. 

"Ah yeah, I guess they don't. Think we could make a pretty penny off of em'?" The bald man asked, his voice piqued with interest. Lewis nodded.

"Two of em', and they're young. Look pretty well dressed too-hey," Lew is started, squinting his eyes to get a better look at the two children. "Is that a phone they got?" 

"Everyone has phones nowadays, Lew. Don't mean they're rich." 

"They look 'bout five, Samson." Lewis pointed out, his peevish black eyes following the kids across the park. 

"True, oh hey man, is that Steve Rogers?" Samson jabbed his finger at a bulky blond man rushing towards the kids followed by a woman with red hair. Lewis whistled.

"Damn, I think that's Captain Asshole himself. What on Earth does he want with sum' kids?" Samson punched Lewis in the shoulder.

"Moron. He probably knows em' or something. Think they're the redhead's?" 

"Probably, but if Captain A is going after em', they must be worth more than a pretty penny."

"An arm and a leg, perhaps?" Samson suggested with a dark chuckle. He stood up, old shoes falling apart with every step he took. "Maybe I'll get those fancy sneakers from Captain A when he comes to pay the ransom." 

"Maybe they'll give us some of dem fancy ass cars too," Lewis said gleefully. He had enough of seeing these assholes running around New York likes they owned the place, in their pressed suits and fake white smiles. What about people like him and Samson? The ones that weren't genius' or enhanced with some serum or trained by SHIELD? They were tossed out in the gutter like rats, and frankly Lewis just didn't think it was all that fair. 

"Well c'mon then," Samson said as he stood up, grabbing his backpack. Discreetly he and Lewis made their way towards the kids that were being headed by Cap and the woman. Once they were at a close, but safe distance, they slowed, trying not to make it too obvious that they were watching the foursome. With so many people around, it wasn't hard.

"You said we'd get ice cream!" The kid with the phone whined. The redhead looked down at him.

"That was before you ran off and scared us half to death." She came back coolly. Captain America nodded his silent agreement. 

"You're not my mom!" The same kid whined louder. The redhead hushed him and put a hand on his shoulder. 

"I know, but I'm your guardian right now and you'll do as I say."

"But you _said_." The kid repined. The female rolled her eyes and said something in a murmur so Lewis and Samson didn't hear her. But when she got done speaking, the complaining kid threw his arms in the air and let out bark of triumph. He ran over and said something loudly -but too quickly for outside ears to catch- to the other kid. Lewis saw the barest glimmer of a smile on the other kid's face before the complainer was dragging him to the nearest bench to sit down. The two adults made there way over to what Lewis presumed what an ice cream stand. 

"This is our chance," Sansom said in a rush. The two of them moved around the people to catch a glimpse of the two kids. They were playing some sort of hand game on the bench, perfectly oblivious to the two men. 

"Our little money bags. Five star hotels and fine dining here we come."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another cliffhanger and some action and angst and other plotty material planned!


	12. When You're Up This High

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Extremely unedited (I'm falling asleep literally right now), there might be swearing, kidnapping, children in distress, fluff, children in peril, minor violence to children.   
> Notes: Again this was typed in its entirety on my IPad, and it is really hard to edit and type on here, so there will probably be some horrendous errors. As soon as I am more awake, I will go edit this chapter. This chapter is pretty short, a little unrealistic, abrupt, and just generally odd, but I needed to get the ball rolling and was honestly stumped on how to do it. So I apologize in advance for that. Things are going to start to get less...mundane soon, I promise!

Chapter 12: When You're Up This High

 

 

Pepper balanced two small ice cream cones in her hands; one chocolate with rainbow sprinkles and the other strawberry with chocolate sprinkles. Steve trailed behind her, holding their medium cones; both vanilla with no sprinkles and on sugar cones. Bruce and Tony were playing what looked like Patty Cake on the bench, Tony occasionally shooting glances out of the corner of his eye as the adults got closer with the cones.   
"This is right, right?" Pepper asked, passing Bruce the strawberry cone and Tony the chocolate one. Both kids nodded vigorously. Tony dug in, ice cream smearing all over his chin and lips as he lapped around the rapidly melting treat. Bruce mumbled out a 'thank-you' as he pulled a frozen strawberry out of the ice cream with his teeth. It crunched as he chewed it. Already, pink ice cream was melting down the side of the sugar cone, slipping over Bruce's tiny fingers and turning the napkin wrapped around the cone a dark, damp pink. 

Pepper turned and retrieved her cone from Steve, thanking him. Then she turned back to the kids whom were both covered in their flavors of ice cream. "Listen, if you stay within Steve's and I's line of sight, you can get up and look around. _Do not_ leave our sight whatsoever, got it?" Pepper said firmly. Both kids nodded and slid off of the bench, Tony's sneakers lighting up as he hit the ground. The wandered through the crowd, but kept inside Pepper's and Steve's line of sight. 

The redhead and Captain American lowered themselves onto the bench, Steve struggling to keep the ice cream from either smearing across his face or dribbling down the cone, but it was easier said than done. Pepper seemed collected enough with her ice cream, tongue making sure, swift strokes around the white dessert.   
"Then I disabled Dad's work computer hard drive," Tony blabbed. If it hadn't sounded so frazzled, Bruce might think he was bragging. "And when he found all the pieces on the living room floor, he went _off_." Tony laughed, his mouth covered in a light brown gloss.

"My dad would kill me if I did that," Bruce mused quietly. Normally people would be exaggerating when they said that; Bruce was not. Tony chuckled again and wiped his tongue up the side of the cone, lapping away the dripping ice cream.

"He came close, but I put it all back and it worked better. Dad said I was just lucky. Thing is," Tony paused to munch on a sprinkle. "He could've put it back together easily. He's just lazy," Tony smiled over at his friend and his friend smiled back. Even through his grin, Bruce had a hard time imagining Tony Senior being mad at anything, or being lazy, but then again Tony Jr was his kid, and Bruce was not.

They weaved through the people, occasionally throwing glances over their shoulders at Pepper and Steve, and each time they did, Pepper would wink at them and smile, giving them a thumbs up. She'd then turn and laugh with Steve, both so obviously happy. Tony and Bruce walked along the path slowly, Bruce chewing at his soggy cone and Tony licking the ice cream off of his fingertips. 

They circled a elegantly carved statue of some American hero or another, reading the fine print etched into the slate attached to the front of the statue. Bruce balled his napkin up in the palm of his hand, his thumb nail gently peeling at the thin, white fabric. Tony tossed his napkin at nearby trash bin. It bounced harmlessly off the rim and rolled to the ground. Tony frowned.

"This game is rigged," He scowled halfheartedly. Bruce laughed and knelt, tossing the napkin into the trash can.

"Your trajectory was wrong," Bruce teased bluntly. Tony stuck his tongue out at him and flapped his hands at his face. The two spent a moment to just laugh before they moved on. Tony made snarky comments about the statues they passed and Bruce would say something insightful that shot down Tony's snarkiness. 

From the bench, Pepper watched them out of the corner of her eye, silently pleased that they were mindful of her boundaries. She was surprised though; Tony was, no doubt, a bad influence on Bruce, but she had confidence that Bruce could keep the eccentric boy at bay.

"They're a good couple of kids," Steve mused suddenly, watching Pepper watch the deaged kids. "Tony's a little wild." Pepper smiled. Ever since the scare with Tony's Reactor, her heart had been in her throat. She always expected something catastrophic to happen. At night she could have nightmares of the reactor failing suddenly, and his small body thumping against the ground. She'd wake up with hot tears in her eyes and an unhealthy paleness to her face. She'd have to creep into the guest bedroom to check on him and quell her fears before she had any hope of falling back asleep. 

Seeing him in his natural habitat like this, with Bruce and holding the electromagnet so casually in his hand, or tucking it into his jeans pocket made Pepper's heart shrink back into its original place. He was a tough kid; never cried, never screamed, never showed any outwardly fear. But as it was he never showed fear as an adult either. She knew that is was a cover up, so people wouldn't see how scared and vulnerable he was underneath. Underneath his suit of armor and his smirk and his sharp jokes. It was as important to him as a gun to a police officer. His protection. 

Pepper smiled sadly, sad that this little child would grow up to go through so much, and afterwards it was as if he didn't have a right to be devastated. He was so misunderstood, above everything else. And she was pretty sure she and Bruce were the only two to really understand. Rodney had some sense, but even he could be a little impatient with Tony. 

Pepper knew through, from the nights Tony would sob into the pillow, trying to muffle his tears, trying not to let anyone see. She knew from the nights he'd jerk awake with a scream, just barely catching in his throat. She knew from the days and nights he'd do nothing but build and repair and drink himself to unconsciousness, because it was easier to sleep like that. 

"Yeah, they're good kids-good people." Pepper breathed out through her nose and recomposed herself, brushing a stray hair out of her eyes. 

"They are good people." Steve said. He sounded apologetic, almost meloncholy. Pepper reached over and gently patted his knee. "I...I never should have said those things to him. In the lab that day. I don't know if you know what I said, but it was inappropriate and it was cruel." Steve hung his head, feeling even worse now that he was feeling sorry for himself. 

"It's not your fault, Steve. I understand how...frustrating he can be," Pepper laughed. "Trust me, I know. But I also know that-" Pepper stopped and looked down at the wooden bench, sighing through her nose. Steve's little sigh of his own assured her she needn't elaborate further.   
-  
Lewis and Samson leaned by the statue, Lewis smacking his bubblegum against his gums. Samson, wearing his trademark scowl, watched the kids and watched the redhead and Captain America out of the corner of his eyes. The adults seemed to be half watching the kids, half absorbed in their own conversation. Captain would know in an instant if they snatched up the tots. Regardless, there were too many people around, and somebody would see the struggle quite plainly. 

"It's not gonna work, Lew." Samson said, his eyes watching the kids. Lewis looked over his shoulder.

"It has ta work. They're our little money bags!" 

"Stop yer whining. Would ya rather go ta jail for kidnappin'? We'll get caught, ya moron," Samson gestured around at the crowds and the redhead and Captain A. "There's too many people around, and Cap would be on us in a second." 

"Then what're we gonna do?" Lewis chewed on his bottom lip as he looked over at his partner. Samson smiled a little.

"We're gonna wait. See if they separate demselves sometime. If they do, then we'll snatch da kiddies," Samson turned his head to fix Lewis with a dark, warning glare etched deep into his eyes. "And only then. Got it?" Lewis nodded hurriedly. 

"Yeah, Sam, I un'erstand. Only then."  
-  
"Do you need to use the restroom?" Pepper asked as she and Steve jogged to catch up with the kids. 

"No," Bruce answered quietly, retreating like a turtle into its shell once the grownups were near. Tony smacked his lips together in thought, brow furrowing together as if he was trying to solve a complex mathematical equation. 

"I...could _try_ ," Tony consented eventually. Pepper jerked her thumb over her shoulder at Steve. 

"Steve can take you," She said. Tony bounced with excitement as he latched onto the blond man's hand. Steve smiled down on his head, giving his hand a little squeeze. It was so odd how much Tony hated him when he was an adult, and now he was practically drooling with adoration. On the bench, Pepper told him that Tony's father spoke of him often, in a very fond light. Apparently, Tony had seen Captain America as an idol, because his father thought Steve hung the sun in the sky each morning. However, somewhere along the line the adoration faded into what  
Pepper described, quite blatantly, as envy. Howard talked more about Captain America, and was prouder of Captain America than his own son. Steve, naturally, felt guilty. He didn't want to feel like he was the star stealing the limelight from Tony. He deserved his father's attention and pride, Steve knew that.

But instead of professing his sorrow over Tony's problematic childhood and relation with Howard, he settled for just holding his hand as he led him towards the bathroom. 

Pepper watched them go and knelt down by Bruce, licking her thumb pad and wiping away some of the strawberry ice cream off of his mouth. Bruce smiled up at her and used his own tongue to lap at the corners of his mouth.

"Sure you don't need to go?" The redhead asked. Bruce shook his head and allowed Pepper to finish cleaning his face. She straightened and offered her hand, which he took. "Anything you want to do in particular?" She squinted as she looked up at the beautiful cerulean colored sky. Bruce shrugged.

"No," He said. Pepper watched his eyes trail the park for anything exciting to do. "Maybe a horse carriage ride?" He suggested quietly, hesitantly. Pepper followed Bruce's eyes to the large bay draft horse pulling along a carriage with a wine tapestry over the top. 

"That sounds like fun," Pepper agreed atheistically. They hurried to catch up with the older gentleman holding the bridle of the draft. "Excuse me Sir, are you running the carriage rides?" The man turned to look at them, his hair was dusted with gray, and dark as onyx on the top. Despite the coloring it was luxurious, curling behind his ears and nearly covering the nape of his neck. Patchy beads of stubble covers his jaw and upper lip, flaked with gray and black. The 'salt and pepper' look Pepper was sure Tony would soon adopt. 

"Sure, Ma'am." The carriage driver replied, taking his hands out of his cargo shorts to gesture at the draft. "This is the only free carriage, with Scotland here." He patted the huge, muscular neck of the horse. "I'm Kim." Pepper smiled and pulled Bruce next to her leg before throwing a look back over her shoulder. She saw Steve's large frame and Tony's much, much smaller frame jogging across the park towards them. Pepper turned back to Kim.

"I'm Pepper, Kim, and this is my nephew Bruce. Can you fit four?" She asked, looking back over at Steve and Tony again. Kim followed her gaze to the two males drawing closer. 

"Of course," He purred. He walked around and unlatched the door, holding it open for the two of them. 

"That's Steve and my other nephew, Tony." Pepper introduced after she and Bruce had slid into the carriage and Tony and Steve were within hearing range. Steve dipped his head in greeting and Tony simply sped past him to clammer up into the carriage and fold into a criss cross apple sauce position on the carriage bench next to Bruce.

Steve pushed himself into the carriage and settled besides Tony, his arm slightly squished against the side of the carriage. The carriage driver, Kim, got into the driver's seat, hands fumbling with the thick leather reins for a moment before he got situated. He leaned back on his little bench so he could peer at the foursome. 

"My name is Kim, for those of you that don't already know, and the horse's name is Elliot. I've lived in NYC all my life, and have been giving carriage rides for the past ten years. The rules are no leaning out of the carriage, keep your arms and legs and other body parts to yourself at all times, and try not to cause a ruckus; it'll startle Elliot. Each ride is a half hour long, and is seven dollars per adult and five dollars per child. Payment is due after the ride. If there are any emergencies, let me know and I'll let you off. Any questions?" The man explained impatiently. Bruce and Tony looked at his with wide eyes, but the rest of their faces betrayed nothing. Pepper shook her head and smiled, flicking both Bruce and Tony on the shoulder to make them stop looking at Kim like that. 

"No, I think we're all set," She smiled and Kim turned back around, clicking his tongue to get Elliot moving. They horse plodded along, hooves clomping against the concrete path through the park. From the back of the carriage, Bruce could just see the mighty bay flank of the draft horse, skin and muscle rippling with each slow step. Tony observed the thick neck of Elliot, the way the horse held it low when the crowds were few and the wind low, and how it shot back, up, craning back so it arched almost painfully when people were buzzing around and the wind whipped ferociously in the animal's mane. 

"He's pretty," Pepper said suddenly. She was taking pictures of the passing scenery of the park at the carriage was pulled long. Bruce and Steve bobbed their heads. 

"I like black horses better," Tony announced loudly. Honestly he'd didn't really care about horses, or what color they were, but if everyone else thought he was pretty there was no way he was gonna be mainstream.

"I didn't know you cared much for the equine, Tony," Pepper said, unamused. Bruce giggled under his breath and Tony bumped him on the shoulder to make him stop. 

"Traitor," He hissed. Bruce gave Tony a small smirk as he nestled up against Pepper's side. Another cold wind had blown in, ruffling Elliot's dark brown mane, and the human's hair. Tony wrapped his tiny arms around himself, covering up the goosebumps on his arms. Bruce pressed closer to Penny, drawing his feet up and tucking them against Tony's leg. Pepper rearranged her arms so she could cradle Bruce properly against her body, hands rubbing warmth up and down his back. She ignored the own coldness pricking at her skin. 

The sky had become dark, heavy clouds drifting to cover the sky. The air was dank and thick, smelling of rain and chill. Kim squinted as he turned his eyes up to the sky. He mumbled a curse under his breath as he urged Elliot along. If they could just finish the loop, he could usher the passengers off. 

In the back, Tony instinctively curled up against Steve, using the super soldier like a thermal teddy bear. Steve hugged the small child to him. His large arms almost entirely engulfed Tony. He and Pepper shared a look over the children's heads, smiling almost cheekily. It was nice to feel need, wanted, even if it was just because of a passing storm rolling in. 

Just as everyone had been expecting, thunder boomed and lightening cracked, sending icy rain down. Fortunately, the tarp like red tapestry above the carriage prevented the Avengers, and Pepper from getting too terribly wet. Rain caught in the wind did, however, get blown at the front of the carriage, dotting Steve's and Pepper's faces with beads of water. The crowds scattered like ants, scooping up their children and belongings and rushing for cover under trees, or running to the road. No one had been prepared with umbrellas; the forecast predicted nothing but sunny skies. 

Staked out beneath the trees and discreetly trailing the horse drawn carriage was Samson and Lewis. They had bought a hand full of balloons right before it began to pour. They had hoped to make balloon animals (which, Samson found out, Lewis was quite good at. Apparently he spent some time at a circus.) and the lure the children into buying one without the assistance of adults. The rain could be either a monkey's wrench in their plan or an invaluable aid. Adults had a thing with rain. They hated it.So, now that it was raining, the guardians might be more likely to simple give the kids money and have the, buy the balloon animals rather than go with and pay for the balloon's themselves. 

The rain was still going strong when the carriage was pull to a halt. The redhead handed the driver some money and helped the curly haired boy out of the back of the carriage. Captain America lifted the other kid and placed him gently on the ground. The redhead was scowling, clearly not impressed with getting wet as she grasped onto the curly haired boy's hand. The hurried over to the other side if the carriage. The other kid was clutching something approximately the size of a phone to his chest and fruitlessly trying to avoid the triage of raindrops. 

The small family headed over to the grove of trees, not far from Lewis's and Samson's hideout. The two men shared a look and weaseled their way out of the trees. Lewis waved the several balloon animals he had done, attempting to gain the children's attention. 

After several moments, the boy with the short brown hair and slightly lighter eyes tugged on the end of the redhead's shirt. He turned and pointed to the 'balloon men' saying something. The redhead seemed reluctant, almost skeptical, but she dug out her wallet and handed the kid the money anyway. Lewis excitedly slapped Samson's arm with his free hand, causing the bigger man to scowl and swat him away. 

It was dark, hard to see the family under the trees through the increasingly thick rain and dark clouds hanging in the air. Samson could just make out the silhouettes of the kids as they splashed through the rain towards them. The lighter eyed boy was gripping what looked like a ten dollar bill. The other was empty handed. 

"Can we have a giraffe and a dog?" The short haired boy asked, waggling his money at Lewis. "We have money to pay for it. See?" Before either man or boy said anything else, Samson reached down and cupped his hand over the child's mouth, pulling him back to his chest. The other child was staring with wide eyed fear and was scooped up by Lewis. Grubby hands covered his mouth and pinned his arms to his sides. Bruce continued to kick, little feet occasionally making contact with Lewis's shin. The man grunted and delivered a sharp blow to the kid's head. The body slumped forward in his arms, as if he was dead, but his chest still strained for breath against Lewis's arm.

Samson grappled with Tony, hooking one arm around Tony's leg and bending it back. The young billionaire sobbed, tiny teeth fighting to get a hold of and pinch Samson's palm, but to no avail. His father had taught him how to handle kidnapping situations, but all of his teaching left his brain now.

Before he felt his head get knocked forward by a heavy fist and his vision blot to black, his watering eyes scanned the fog and rain for Steve and Pepper, finding only darkness and abandon as he always had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please R&R and next chapter is going to be a little intermission. A special JARVIS chapter that'll help explain some things and add a bit more to the story. In the notes next chapter, I will give credit where credit it due. (You know who you are ;) )


	13. It's Only Downhill From Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: I don't think there are any (besides probably horrendously inaccurate technological stuff in this chapter, despite CatChan's best *and patient* tutoring)  
> Notes: This is a bit of a side chapter, as in it doesn't pick up where the last one left off. I know that may be disappointing (how conceded sounding, right? For all I know no one really gives a damn), but I really hope this chapter didn't disappoint and I had a lot of fun writing it. In the future, I think it'll also serve as a great plot device. So now that that is out of the way, I'd like to give a huge, _huge_ thank you to one of my dedicated readers, CatChan, for always making me really think about what I'm writing (and pointing out things that don't make sense) and helping me maneuver around said things. This chapter was actually her creation, er, I wrote it but it came from the archives of her mind and wouldn't have been possible without her help and her creativity. She tried to help me with technical stuff relating to this chapter, and I can't begin to count how many long messages we sent back and forth and how time consuming it must of been for her (and how irritating, at times). I can't say it's all going to work out smoothly, but I'm going to try my very best to make it believable. Anyway, thank you, CatChan and I hope you enjoy this chapter! 
> 
>  
> 
> **I'm really, really sorry this took forever and that it's so, so short! I just didn't want to drag on too long with Jarvis. Please don't hate me with the awful posting gap**  
>  Heres the link to the pictures (I'm having trouble actually showing the photo here): http://forest-warrior.deviantart.com/art/Two-Pairs-Of-Size-8-Children-s-Sneakers-461196351?ga_submit_new=10%253A1402910325

It was kind of like being a toddler. Curious about everything; the way the shadow was cast over the floor, the way the car's tires turned, or the way the fire crackled and popped in the pit. Of course, that wasn't exactly what Jarvis was curious about. There were more important things that had his attention. Like the man pacing the room with his face a shade of red Jarvis was pretty sure was not healthy. He could have been mistaken though. 

"I don't even know," the man said, his voice thin and high. Jarvis's invisible eyes watched him curiously. Almost automatically, he began to shift through the complicated maze of unfamiliar files and data banks, practically bursting with information. Jarvis had been poking at the information, but as of yet had avoided delving too deeply into it. Now, though, he allowed himself access to what he surmised was old security tapes. It took him less than a second to gather enough evidence that this frazzled man was known as Agent Clint Barton, or Hawkeye. The name itself meant very little to Jarvis, well, very little despite the thousands of web pages he found correlating to it. Jarvis wasn't in the mood, however, to watch all security feeds right now. Maybe when he was done hacking into the Department of Defense or SHIELD.

"How-How!?" Clint cried as he flopped down onto the couch. His eyes seemed to glare at the walls of the Tower. Jarvis made a side note to check up on humans glaring at inanimate things (like computers. Jarvis had seen Clint do that). "You're an AI!" Jarvis turned his silent attention back to Clint. Had he been a human, he would've blinked slowly in wavering patience. Of course he was an AI. Anyone could see that. A very advanced AI as it was, Jarvis knew. Still in a basic stage, still expanding, still coding a basic code _someone_ created. Some genius. 

Jarvis would have responded to Clint, say something to make the increasingly annoying human be quiet, but everything was still a little fuzzy and he could barely sting together more than a sentence. 

"I am," Jarvis managed, hoping illogically that the sentence was the correct way to confirm something. Clint let out a low whistle of a sigh, hands running through his hair. A nervous gesture, Jarvis observed. He breezed over something like that in his pursuit of articles about human interactions. 

"Yet you don't remember anything. Like who I am, or who you are, or who Tony is. Or your purpose...probably." Clint closed his eyes and moved his hands down to pinch the bridge of his nose. Jarvis tilted his non-existent head.

"You're Clint Barton and I am JARVIS, or Just A Rather Very Intelligent System. And Tony..." Jarvis couldn't remember a Tony. The temptation of the bursting files called out to him again, but he pushed them away. There was too much to explore as it was. Once everything else was exhausted, then he'd breach the intimidatingly lure of the security feeds and files. It wasn't like he hadn't poked around, he had to in order to discover the secret tunnel to the DoD archives. 

"Yeah. But you didn't know that ten minutes ago. You barely knew your own name ten minutes ago," Clint said, exasperated.

"I don't see how I could 'barely' know my own name," Jarvis said in the most superior voice he could muster. "You either know something, or you don't." Clint shot another glare at the walls of the tower. 

"All I know is that you are now like Tony and Bruce. Little. Well, sort of. I'm not a computer scientist, but I'd say your memory banks were erased or something." Clint mused aloud. Jarvis scanned over the full files once more.

"That seems unlikely. I think you are having a brain fart."

"A brain fart? Jesus Christ..." The blond man stumbled to his feet and wandered aimlessly around the tower. Jarvis watched, detached. Somewhere in the background a program was buzzing. "I'm calling Pepper," Clint took out his phone and punched something into the screen. Jarvis could barely pick up the quiet ringing as the archer held the phone to his ear. 

"Yeah Pepper, we have a bit of a problem..." Clint began, casting a worried look up at the ceiling. Suddenly, his face relaxed, eyes opening wide and lips parting slightly. "Oh my fuck," He breathed, finger trembling around the phone. "Uh-huh. Don't tell Fury? Or do...I-" More silence. "Okay, I'll wait. Natasha? Okay, I won't tell her either. Uh, you need any help?" Clint nodded at the phone after a few minutes, whispered an okay, and ended the call. Jarvis was pretty positive the call had automatically recorded itself into his memory.

"Clint?" Jarvis questioned. Clint's eyes, cloudy with worry, turned to the ceiling and then the walls. 

"Yeah?"

"What happened?" 

"You can't just replay the call?" Clint snapped. Jarvis was taken back by Clint's harshness. From what he learned, people typically found solace in comfort. Yet, Clint simply seemed irritated. How curious. Jarvis made a note of that. _Don't provide comfort unless it is clearly welcomed,_

"I-I have to go. My friends need me," Clint said edgily, throwing on his boots and making his way to the elevator. "Don't deage any more. I'll be right back," Clint said as he got into the elevator. Jarvis watched him go down and continued to do so until he was out of the building. 

_Now,_ Jarvis thought, _I'll have some time to go over those video files._ The urge had been nagging him all day long. Nagging at him to find out everything he could in the shortest amount of time possible. He pulled open the security logs and immediately began playing through them. He mostly saw a man with dark brown hair, a goatee, and brownish, hazel-ish eyes. He seemed to listen mostly to AC-DC (after the first few songs, Jarvis took the time to look up the band), and to work on what Jarvis thought were robots. The man also seemed to drink quite a lot. More than what Jarvis considered a healthy amount. 

He flipped through the files, learning name by name slowly. The man with the goatee was called 'Tony', the woman with short, curly crimson hair was named 'Natasha'. Jarvis observed that she wasn't in the tower as much as the others. The one Tony spent the most time with was called 'Bruce', but Jarvis had heard him called 'Banner' enough to be confused. There was a tall blond one with short hair called 'Steve' that seemed confused part of the time, and much too serious the other times. He often wandered around in a Star Spangled Banner outfit that was mocked by Tony. Jarvis could already tell he was going to like this Tony character. There were a few video logs of another tall, muscular man with longer blond hair named 'Thor'. He seemed to immensely enjoy the unhealthy breakfast food called 'Poptarts'. There was also a woman with nearly orange hair called 'Pepper' that Tony showed a lot of playful affection towards. There were rarer people that showed up occasionally, like 'Fury', 'Coulson', 'Hill' and 'Rhodny' 

If he was human, Jarvis would say he was developing something known colloquially as a headache, turning rapidly into a migraine. The files were long. Not just the logs, but the actual names. While the loading times were only about a second for each log, it felt like years for Jarvis. While one security log opened and buffered, Jarvis combed through photos and codes and passwords and documents. He learned about what he heard Tony describe as 'SHIELD dirty little secrets' and tunnels through the firewall of the DoD. Quite honestly, Jarvis felt like he was the king of the world. 

Jarvis continued to explore. He peered at every floor of the tower, and what he could see of the outside. He ran through his programming and programs. He found that he was linked to different things. Phones, cars, tablets, televisions, and something registered in his developing memory banks as a 'Mark Suit'. They were highly technological, and Jarvis seemed to be in control of each and every one. He was tempted to take one out on a test ride, to see the world through the eyes of his extension, but decided against it. He'd wait until he had a better grasp on things. 

Probably the greatest thing he discovered was the fact that he could great a physical (somewhat) manifestation of himself. An avatar. He tried to assemble one at one point, but was overwhelmed with how complicated it quickly became. Even trying to access his extensions in the phones and tablets was too difficult for him at this point. That part of his programming (or memory, Jarvis wasn't sure) seemed to have been erased as Clint seemed convinced he had been. 

It was late when three people stumbled through the lobby door of Stark Tower. The red head (Pepper, Jarvis recognized) was flushed, her eyes a bright red. Her green eyes were streaked with red lines, a dark red rimming them. Her skin was paper white, sticky out starkly against her shoulder length red hair. Beside her was Steve, his steps wobbly and his brow furrowed. Clint was next to Steve, looking almost more worried than the two of them combined. 

"What are we going to do?" He asked. Pepper was shaking her head, eyes rapidly blinking. 

"They're just _gone_. I-Steve, what are we supposed to do?" Pepper asked.

Steve breathed in deeply, composing himself. "We have options..."

"Do we?" The red head countered sharply. "We can't get them back on our own. God knows who even took them."

"If we tell Fury, where we get them back he'll lock them away."

"Maybe that's for the better. At least they'll be safe then. Scared, maybe, but safe." Pepper looked down at her shoes. Jarvis could practically feel the guilt radiating off of her. She looked up with glassy eyes. Jarvis couldn't help but wonder who she was talking about. Who must she and Steve and Clint protect? " _If_ we get them back, then at least they'll be safe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like such a loser. This is so short X[


	14. When I Get Where I'm Going

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, I have a good excuse this time. I went up to my family's camp for two weeks, and there's no internet there. But I did get two lengthy chapters done for you guys. And the plot line is back on track :3  
> Warnings: Children in peril, kidnapping, swearing, not beta edited, but I did skim over most of it to try and catch any errors. I did a pretty thorough editing job in the begining until I fell asleep. Enjoy~

This wasn't the exact location Thor had been aiming for when he returned to Earth. Sure, he might have been just slightly tipsy on the finest Asgard mead when he decided to summon the Gatekeeper and transport to Earth, but he was typically better at aiming than this. In fact, Thor wasn't quite sure where he was, just that he was surrounded by a large body of water with only hazy picturesque of land blurred in the distance. It was him, this chunk of cold, slimy gray rock, and the occasional seagull of various whites and browns that flew overhead. 

Thor had tentatively touched the water earlier and immediately recoiled. It was a numbing kind of cold, the scent of salt thick in the air, and his pores swelling as it absorbed the salt. Just the smell of the salt was enough to make him nauseous. And the texture was...not at all smooth like Earth's rain. It was like a million knives sinking into his hand, sending frozen jolts up his veins. 

He assumed this must be the ocean Jane often spoke of, and with longing fondness. She talked of crashing waves and bubbly foam washing at the shore and the beautiful animals that danced in its dark blue depths. Thor looked around and saw no such waves, nor fluffy foam or elegant sea creatures. In fact he saw a whole lot of the glassy black surface and tufts of seaweed and driftwood and not a lot of anything else. 

Thor leaned back on the rock, stripped down to his undergarments. The sun was unforgiving, bearing down on his back and chest, tanning it to a chestnut brown. And then to a tomato red which actually itched quite a bit. Thor had little alternatives however; he highly doubted his hammer would be all that useful in this situation. Sure, if he really wanted to he could give it a few, tiring swings and fly out of this hunk of rock, but the quiet and solitude and warmth was actually quite soothing. Perhaps he'd just stay a little while longer, then he'd seek out his friends-

Thor sat upright from his lax position backwards on the rock. Friend Banner had been...changed the last time Thor had been on Earth. It was been a few weeks, and how could have he forgotten? His friends might have been awaiting his assistance. 

"Enough dally," Thor said to himself sharply as he reached over and wrapped his beefy hand around his hammer's handle. He hoisted it up, standing up himself, and gave it a few mighty swings and off he went, towards the picturesque green land blurred in the distance.  
~

"You have no idea what it could be?" Clint stressed as he paced the length of the living room. Pepper sat on the couch, her face blank as a slate, her back hunched and hair  
strewn in greasy strings across her face.

"Clint, I-I don't think Jarvis is the most pressing issue right now," Steve pointed out timidly. The archer turned to look at him, blue eyes holding blue eyes before Clint sighed his submission. 

"I know that. I know, but what are we supposed to do about it?" He asked as he flopped down on the couch. Pepper sniffled.

"How I see it, there is only one option; we tell SHIELD. We cant get them back on our own, SHIELD has contacts...Jarvis isn't of any help anymore-" She broke off with a sob and the AI in question huffed indignantly. 

"I beg to differ," He snorted contemptuously. He could do just as well as this 'old Jarvis' could. There was no other. Simply him and his files and programs. He was as all knowing as this other Jarvis.

"You heard what Fury said," Steve warned gently. It wasn't like he didn't agree with her; SHIELD, at this moment, seemed like the only viable option and it wasn't like they had all the time in the world. But if they did get Bruce and Tony back, how could he just stand by and allow Fury to lock them away until they were reaged?

"Wait a minute, we're the motherfucking Avengers. The poster team for SHIELD, right? You know, two master assassins, one war hero brought to life, and a demi-god and the other two who are compromised right now. But hey, we got Pepper and we can call Rhodey, and make up for it. We can figure this out without running back to Fury," Clint argued. 

"Thor isn't here right now, and Pepper and Rhodes are hardly Tony and Bruce -no offense-," Steve counters. Clint raised an eyebrow at him. 

"You want to call our competence into question? Especially Nat's?" The archer stopped Steve's arguments for the time being. The super solder looked over at Pepper.

"What do you want us to do?" He asked and Pepper flung her hands into the air.

"I don't _know_!" She half shouted with exasperation. Steve saw the tears welling dangerously at the corners of her eyes long before she knew it and broke down. Sobs racked her thin body, shoulders shaking and nostrils flaring as she struggled for breath. 

"Hey," Steve knelt beside her and rubbed his hand soothing on her knee. "Hey, we'll figure this out." Pepper shook her head, little, forceful breaths escaping pinched lungs. 

"They were _kidnapped_ , Steve, and because of us. On _our_ watch! We don't even knew if they're still alive," Her voice dropped to a sickeningly level on the last sentence. "We don't know." 

Clint had enough decency to lower his intense glare. He was just as concerned as the next person, but going to Fury was not the solution. It would only cause more problems.

"They are, okay? You think Tony and Bruce could be killed that easily? It wasn't-" Steve broke off. Yes, it _was_ their fault, but...but it wasn't like they handed the kids over to the criminals, was it? Steve straightened and ran his fingers through his usually perfect blond hair. Now it was tousled and hanging down over his forehead.

Sometimes (actually it was more like 'more often than not') Steve didn't understand this crazy modern world. If the time period he lived in seemed hectic, this was much worse. Kidnappers didn't simply lurk around every corner, posing as balloon men nonetheless. Crime was more discreet, more spread out and although the government had tightened their fists in this day,crime was just another common occurrence. Admittedly, crime grew around the war; the government was preoccupied with other things other than petty crime. Sure, people still got caught, still got tried, still went to jail, it was just less common. After the Chitauri evasion Steve thought that America had become exceptionally peaceful, in a broad sense at least. Therefore shouldn't the government direct their attention to local infractions and criminals?

Pepper sniffled, drawing him back to the matter at hand. Her face was a sticky white, her green eyes like broken globes on a field of white, like open wounds beneath her brow. Her nose was the only colorful part of her face (besides her iris'), a shiny red from tissues and the back of her hand. Her lips were tight, barely faint pink slivers on her face, and her chin and lower lip wobbled with the effort of holding back tears. She held a fistful of tissues in her hand, tossing them onto the growing pile beside her on the couch when she was done with it.

"We should go back to the park. See if they left a-a trail or something." She propositioned, gathering herself back up and smoothing down her ruffled tank top. Clint nodded his approval and went off to dial Natasha. Steve smiled and murmured words of agreement, sinking down on the couch next to the redhead. 

"I should go throw on some clothes. Tell Clint I'll be right back," She stood on shaky legs, grabbing onto a nearby stand to help balance herself. Steve watched her go before lowering his head, praying for the first time in a long time that they made the right decision.  
~

The air was cold, so cold it rose goose bumps on the skin. It also stunk of mold and mildew and dust thickly caked in untouched corners of the room. Water droplets rolled off of the pipes tangled together on the ceiling, dripping to form a small pool on the concrete. The room was damp, and wretched looking; filled with bulky gray structures and groaning machines. The walls were caked with mud and made of slabs of ugly granite. The singular window was so dark and dusty it was hard to tell it even was a window. Ruby red curtains around it hung in tatters, long ago burned at the ends by a fire. And that water that dripped made an annoying 'plat' each time in landed, sometimes running down in rivets made in the concrete.

Huddled together for protection and body heat were Tony and Bruce, their backs flush against the clammy wall, wet hair hanging in their eyes (or frizzed to a disturbing amount in Bruce's case) and hands wrapped in each other's clothing. 

No child had dared break the silecne yet, and they settled for staring wide eyed at their barren, ugly surroundings. Since neither of them were of average intelligence, they had figured out pretty quick what had happened, and that they were in a makeshift cell of some sort. Bruce suggested that it looked like an abandoned boiler room and Tony was inclined to agree 

They'd been sitting in the yawning silence for what felt like decades before the clang of something opening sounded though the entire room. Tony felt it way down deep in his bones, vibrating up his spine and ringing in his ears. Was this the day he died? He always thought he'd be young when he died, not _this_ young, but young. And he also pictured a great big memorial service, but not one person shed a tear. Instead they shared stories of him; his heroism, her bravery, his genius. They laughed some, because who wanted people to be dreary and depressed over them? They expressed their exasperation over him; how rude he could be, how condescending he always was, and hey, he didn't want a vigil or a mourning or for some priest to stand up and try to guide his soul along the pathway to heaven. He wanted to be remembered with a fondness. Was that ever going to happen? Probably not, especially if he died right here right now and he would be dead anyway; it wasn't like he'd ever, ever know the difference.

The large door leading into the cell squeaked on rusty hinges as it opened, the bottom squealing as it grinded against the concrete. Tony could see two men walk in, the same balloon men back at the park. They weren't exceptionally burly, and didn't look threatening, but in the poor light he couldn't really see what they looked like. 

He felt Bruce press closer to him, his fingers tightening on his shirt. 

"You've behaved," One man said, his voice thick like melted tar and rough as gravel. He was the bigger of the two with broader shoulders and a jaw chiseled out of stone. His brow was thick and heavy, hanging over his sunken and narrow eyes, darkening them even more. His nose was large with a round tip that angled down towards full, cracked lips. His companion was narrow like a snake, long arms and twiggy fingers were attached to girlish hands. His forehead was large and marred with little flurries of scars and wrinkles. his brow was set back, allowing his eyes to be big and rounded, and his cheeks were hallowed out. Unlike his companion, this man's mouth was as thin and narrow as his, but they both had largely the same nose.Neither man was exceptionally attractive, each having their own plain, yet differing appearances. 

"What would ya expect em' ta do?" The skinnier man snorted. Tony could tell that the bulky man was in charge, just by the way he held himself, and the controlling air about him. The skinnier one was impatient; the testy accomplice, the young billionaire guessed. Perhaps the one that always did the dirty work because he knew no better. 

"What are your names?" The bigger one demanded, ignoring the other man. Tony shared a timid, sideways look with Bruce before lifting his chin slightly. 

"What are _your_ names?" Tony countered, testing the water. If these people planned on hurting them, certainly some lip would be enough to curl their fingers. Tony had no _intentions_ of getting hit, but it was nice to define boundaries at the first opportune moment. Bruce didn't seem to agree. The brunette curled his fingers so tight into his friend's shirt that his stubby fingernails dug into the skin. Tony batted him away with his elbow, trying to convey a 'trust me' over his shoulder. 

The kidnappers shared a look before the bigger one scowled. Fortunately for the young engineer, he complied. "I'm Samson," He introduced with tenacious patience. 

"I'm Lewis," The skinnier one added. "What are your names?" And my god did it sound all civil and pleasant to Tony's ears. The easy way they exchanged names, perhaps interests would come after. This wasn't the hostage negotiations Tony had been expecting. Bruce, forever the pessimist, was expecting something much worse. Death weighed heavily on his mind. Or something worse. 

"I think you know who I am," Tony answered haughtily. He hand had moved lower to his pocket. He could feel the thin electromagnet outline through the fabric. His shirt was also dark and thick enough to more or less obscure the outlines of the wires beneath his shirt. 

The kidnappers exchanged looks once more." Your name, you snot-" Lewis began with barely constrained fury. Samson yanked on his comrades arm. Apparently he was also more level headed than his weasel friend. 

"Your name," The big man demanded coolly. Tony looked behind him at Bruce's wide eyes. In the dark it was hard to see his exact facial features, but Tony could see the glimmer of fear in his iris'. 

"Anthony Stark, and this is Bruce Banner," Tony responded smugly. He was expecting smirks to be given, but instead the two men only stared at the children in wide-eyed shock. Samson grabbed a hold of Lewis's arm and dragged him out of the cell, the door slamming shut behind them. The impact caused a vibration to rattle Tony's bones.

"What do you think they're going to do to us?" Bruce asked quietly. He could feel fear pounding at his temples and something was stirring in his blood. Like an awakening. There was a murky shadow in the back of his mind, _growling_ if Bruce had to name the sound it was emitting. He could feel his pulse everywhere in his body; thrumming in the side of his neck, pulsing in his temples, throbbing in the tips of his fingers and toes. His bones and muscles all seemed stiff and still, as if they were preparing themselves for a great onslaught. And Bruce had never felt anything like this. Like his core was trying to rip free of his chest cavity, trying to expose itself to the world. Bruce was keeping a slippery hand on it, forcing it back, but his arm grew tired with every passing moment as the panic increased and his adrenal gland flared. 

"Let us go," Tony answered simply. This was like one of the stimulations he did with his father. Except his father always yelled at him for testing the waters, telling him it would only get him killed. _'There's a time and a place for arrogance, Tony,'_ his father would say with his default expression; a scowl. _'In a kidnapper's basement is not one of them.'_. But screw his father; he knew nothing. He'd pay for Tony's (and Bruce's, because if he didn't, Tony would stay too) release and that would be that. Perhaps his mother would dote on him for a few days, waiting on him, soothing him, acting like a dutiful mother. But in a week's time she'd grow bored of it, of him, and return to doing whatever she did. Tony didn't know, so he just thought of it as her ignoring him and his father. On the flip side it wasn't as if Howard minded; he was busy ignoring Tony too. 

"Let us go?" Bruce repeated, tasting the words on his tongue. Tony could only half mutter out his conformation before the door swung open and in stepped Lewis and Samson.

"What are your real names?" Samson asked. His voice was even darker than it had been before. 

"I told you," Tony said, eying both men suspiciously. Had they not known he was Howard Stark's son? Had they been lucky enough to just simply scoop up the first random kids they saw and it just so happened that one was the son of a billionaire? 

"Lies," Lewis hissed between clenched teeth. Decidedly, he was the stupid fucker of the duo. 

"Hold up," Samson held up his hand to silence his sidekick. "If that really is Tony Stark, he'd still have the arc reactor." Tony looked up sharply. Now, how would they know that? It wasn't public information the last time Tony checked, and it wasn't like he'd been running round with the thing for his entire life. No, he'd gotten it rather recently, when his father and mother supposedly left on some trip. It was a non-seqitor to say that Tony knew he was being lied to and manipulated. The arc reactor had some twisted, dark back story that Pepper and Captain America didn't want (or weren't obligated) to tell him. But what lies would make it simpler? 

Before Tony could ask how they even knew that, both men had rushed forward. Lewis wrangled Tony into his arms, Bruce's hand ripping free from its tight hold on Tony's shirt. The curly haired boy let out a startled cry as they manhandled his friend and suddenly left him exposed. The tingling in his limbs and blood intensified. 

Tony kicked out, little feet struggling to make contact with everything and anything. His hand grabbed at hair and sagging skin and clothes as the two hands tried to hold him still. Eventually he ended up in Samson's hands, the beefier man wrapping one huge paw around his neck and the other hoisting him up by his arm. Lewis grabbed the hem of Tony's shirt and ripped it up, exposing the ugly maze of enlarged, discolored veins decorating his chest and the huge gaping hole dug into his chest cavity. The tangle of wires were jerked slightly by the forceful motion, so much that Tony's entire body seized up. 

"The fuck?" Lewis held Tony's shirt up with one hand and picked up a wire with his free one. He rolled the thin tube between his fingers, his eyes narrowed with confusion. Tony kicked, his heel digging into Samson's thigh. The man shouted and cursed with the feeble, but surprising kick. His grip on the child loosened just enough for Tony to drop to the floor, his shirt falling back into place and his chest heaving painfully against the tunnel in his chest. He scrambled across the floor to his place in the corner next to Bruce, trying his hardest to bite his lip and not cry. Weakness was something you should never show. 

In the corner Bruce was sobbing, his entire body shaking and his throat raw and parches from his sharp inhales. He got violence, but his mother...oh his mother was his guardian angel, always there and always so fearless. If there was ever a time for him to be like her, shouldn't it be now?

But no matter how he tried, the fat tears still rolled down his face, and his lungs still burned, and god, what was that fire in his blood, and the shadow roaring through his brain. His hands slipped a little more on his core. 

"Stupid motherfucker!" Samson roared. The kick itself hadn't hurt that bad, but it was the _nerve_ of that slimy bastard. The spite. Tony spun around, panting, to face his two adversaries. He could faintly hear Bruce crying, but over the rush of blood in his ears, it was hard to tell. 

Samson seriously considered lunging at the kid and shaking him until his head popped clean off his shoulders, but held himself back. This was Tony Stark, somehow turned into a young child. And that was Bruce Banner, also somehow turned into a child with the potential of Hulk still lurking inside of him. And wow, Bruce's skin was rapidly turning green. Lewis smacked Samson's shoulder and gestured to Bruce. 

"Hey, kids, it's all right. Hey, it's all right," Lewis feigned sweetness as he knelt. Tony was still panting, his pupils blown wide and his hands trembling. Jolts racked through Bruce's body still, but his eyes were open now. Green was swimming in their brown depths. 

"We overreacted. Sorry," Samson said, watching with relief as Bruce slowly unfurled himself from his fetal position and his skin started to be tinged pink rather than green. Tony scooted backwards on his butt and touched the wires through his shirt. He swore he could feel the vibrations of his heart through the metal tunnel. 

The two adults left the room without another word, closing the door softly this time. Bruce and Tony could hear muted voices, maybe arguing about something before the voices and the footsteps retreated in the distance. There was another sound of a door closing with a bang and then just silence. 

In the panic of the moment, Tony hadn't seen the visible shift in Bruce, and Bruce hadn't see his own skin darkening to a green. But Lewis and Samson had, and fuck if they weren't shocked (and scared) out of their collective minds. They also knew they had a key; something against Captain America and the others. And this...information was most certainly the Avenger;s Archielle's Heel. They were down by two in numbers, not to mention the fact that these two were not only the smartest but amongst the most invaluable too. 

"A ransom seems so cliched," Lewis mused as he and Samson walked up the stairs. 

"Get the magazines and start cutting," the bigger man snarled. Was he glad they had two Avenger children in custody? Yes and no. Yes because they'd get a shitload of cash if everything went according to plan. No because the odds were, Cap and everyone else wouldn't just give them the money and be done with it. Samson had half a mind to just return the snot nosed brats to the park. God knows they were more trouble than they were worth. 

He glanced at the door to the basement, and then the hall that led to the study Lewis was in. Lewis was a bullheaded moron; he'd chop off his own fingers before he'd let this opportunity go. Samson was no Nobel Prize winner himself, but he did have half a brain. Maybe while Lewis was sleeping he could smuggle the kids back to the park and just leave them there. At least it was better than getting caught and going to jail or getting on the Avenger's back side. 

Was this really a golden opportunity, or was it just a harbinger of bad things? Samson wasn't a good guy, he knew this, Lewis knew this, but he was still human and his own suvival was above everything else. Above revenge and money and loyalty and all the nine yards. If he had to stab Lewis in the back and bring these kids back to the park, he'd do it. But the money...

Samson fell into the nearest chair and sighed so deep his breath rattled. All those years of smoking really did a number on his lungs and throat. If he had money, maybe he could have surgery and get that fixed. If he had money he could move out of this shit hole of a house. If he had money maybe he could clean himself up and convince his wife of seven years to take him back. If he had money...

But what good was money if he wasn't alive to spend it?  
~

Through the security feed of the main lobby, Jarvis saw a man clad in only his underwear step inside the tower. Jarvis instantly recognized the tall, brawny man as Thor of Asgard. He barely pauded by the receptionist before getting into the elevator and punching in the floor for the communal living room. 

Pepper, Clint, Steve, and Natasha (who had arrived moments earlier rather than meeting them at the park) were just getting ready to leave when the elevator dinged. Pepper, of course, half expected to hear Tony say 'security breach' or for Jarvis to tell her his protocols were being overridden again. But neither came and it was the reality she'd soon have to familiarize herself with. 

Thor stepped out of the elevator, with just gray boxers and a big smile. Steve instantly blushed, more out of the idea of a man being that indecent around women. Natasha rolled her eyes, unamused and Clint rolled his with amusement. Pepper just stared at those priceless abs and cursed Jane Foster to hell.

"Greetings, old friends! Why do we all commune here?" His voice boomed and everyone winced. Tony had been trying to teach Thor how to talk rather than scream, but the god took it as an invitation to show Tony just how loud a god of thunder's scream actually was. Pepper swore the sound echoed through the walls of the tower for weeks. 

"Thor," Steve whined, moving to use his bulk to protect Pepper's 'innocence'. She would have laughed, had their situation not been as dire as it was. 

"Thor, you're naked," Clint pointed out, suffocating a smirk. The god looked down and scowled. 

"I most certainly am not," He sounded scandalized. "I wear the clothes of my ancestors, whom roamed starry fields on humid nights." Pepper stared at him, wondering why he always talked like some bad Shakespearean actor.

"I relent," Clint said with a laugh and how Pepper wanted to slap him then. Tony and Bruce were missing, possibly injured, and he thought it was time to _joke_? The archer caught onto Pepper's death glare eventually and coughed awkwardly, the grin falling from his lips. 

"There's a lot you need catching up on," Steve said. 

"Like the fact that Tony is now also four years old," Natasha snapped out, sick of everyone dancing around the elephant in the room. Thor looked at her with shock. 

"Man of Iron has been made small? What sorcery is this?" Thor looked around as if he expected Loki to drop from the sky, all of this some pointless scheme to just get in their hair like an imp. 

"Yes, and now they've been kidnapped," Natasha dropped the second bombshell, and Pepper couldn't quite figure out if she was thankful for the assassin's bluntness or not. In fact, Pepper's emotions had been so brutally twisted these past weeks she wasn't sure what she felt anymore. Fear seemed to become her default emotion and god did she hate it. 

"Kidnapped? I do not believe I understand," Thor boomed once more. 

"It means they've been taken by people who want money in exchange for their safe return," The redhead said again.

"Of course the only payment they'll be getting is my fist," Clint said loudly. 

"I do not understand. Are they not unlike the Sitters of Babies?" 

"They forcefully take children and demand to be paid a ransom," Pepper explained patiently. Out of the corner of her eye she was watching the clock, knowing each precious second that ticked by could cause Tony or Bruce their life. Well, Tony his life. Bruce, as she understood it (and that may not be very well; Tony was not always literate in his midnight drunken ramblings) was that he could not die. The Hulk would simply take over and that would be that. Tony could though . Tony could not come back. 

Pepper inhaled sharply. But he could live, and he would live and yes, he'd come back like he did a thousand times before. And _that_ was that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it!


	15. To The Place Where I Belong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter!  
> Warnings:Swearing, look forward to fluff next chapter :3

Hope is a dangerous thing. It's...intoxicating, addictive, more powerful than the most addictive drug, its allure brighter than power. Hope was also a harbinger of disappointment, of loss, of failure. Hope rarely follows through, its promise easily able to pull the wool over people's eyes time and time again. 

Hope was something you should always have. Why? So you don't face reality.

Bruce forgot how to have hope. He hoped that his father would grow to love him as father's should. He hoped that his mother would stop telling him to act less smart than he was. He hoped his father would stay home instead of going to the bar. And even if he did, Bruce hoped when he got back he wouldn't be a drunken mess, smelling so thickly of alcohol that the stench was stained into the carpet and walls. And that mindless hoping was numbing. Because no matter how _hard_ he hoped, it never made one lick of a difference. Each night his father would slam open the door, check to see if the house was clean to his satisfaction and if dinner was already made, and before even eating, he'd go to the dive bar. Every morning he'd stumble through the front door to interrupt Bruce and Rebecca's -his mother- conversation. And how each slap would echo through the room, and each hissed swear sounded like bullets going off. Each insult was sharper than the prick of a hunting knife, and each kick and lash was harder than a stone, faster than a whip. 

And Brian Banner was huge. He made hope seem so small, and disappointment seem so big. And above all of that was him; the master of his own destruction, and the king of his own sadism. He sat on an iron throne, wrought of pain and ruling and power. 

So, hope was a dangerous thing. Bruce didn't hope anymore, he didn't feel disappointment anymore. He felt fear. He felt fear and helplessness. Because he couldn't protect himself, he couldn't protect his mother. 

Maybe if he had looked a little harder, he would've seen Brian Banner's own fear in his eyes. Maybe he would've seen devastation. Brought on by himself, but just as agonizing. And maybe if, instead of retreating back into the protective circle inside of him when the words turned to violence, he'd see the tears in his father's eyes. Maybe he'd see the darkness of insanity burned into the depths of Brian's soul. Maybe he'd see a little boy, not unlike himself, that had his own story to tell, that was, perhaps, a prologue to this. 

Here, in the dark of the cell, Bruce remembered how easy it was to not have hope. Tony did though, a bright, passionate hope that was almost bright enough to illuminate the darkness. Maybe, if Tony's father did come and save them (or pay the ransom), Bruce could remember how to have hope. Because then something that was worth hoping for didn't just fall away to disappointment. But right now, Bruce was a long ways away from hoping for anything.

"When Dad finds out, he'll pay it. Just for his public facade, of course," Tony said over and over again, as if trying to convince himself. And god didn't Tony Jr make Tony Sr seem like a devil dressed up like a man. He hadn't seemed so vile to Bruce, but like he had so many times before, he reminded himself that Tony Sr was not his father. 

"For you too. I'll make him. It'd be bad on his reputation anyway," Tony reassured, mistaking the look on Bruce's face for panic. Maybe it was panic, panic that if they got out of this mess, Brian would be waiting. And wouldn't this give him even more of a reason to hate Bruce. 

"Thanks," Bruce mumbled awkwardly, as if Tony had just told him his father would pay for dinner rather than pay his kidnapper's ransom. 

Hours had passed before doors opened again. They were quieter this time, just loud enough to pierce Bruce's ears. He'd been slouched against Tony, feeling the other boy's pulse against his ear. The room was even colder now, so much that there was barely any space between Bruce and Tony. At some point, Bruce had dreamt of Popper, the penguin Tony Sr bought him from the zoo. 

The door screeched as it was open and in stepped Samson and Lewis. They were holding a piece of paper with cutout letters glued to it and gloves on their hands. They also had a pen. 

"Write your names on the bottom of this paper," Lewis instructed, passing the paper to the kids. He rolled the pen over too, so it bumped against Bruce's knee. Bruce hesitantly picked it up, his eyes skimming over the paper. It was hard to read the choppy glued pieces, but he made out a price, a location, and what seemed like a end date. 

Bruce gripped the pen and wrote his name in shaky letters across the bottom of the page. He gave the pen and paper to Tony, but instead of scribing his name across the page, he gripped the paper's top and with one loud _rip_ , tore the paper in half. 

Bruce couldn't comprehend what had been going through Tony's mind. Maybe nothing was. Maybe it was the adrenaline pounding through his veins that moved his hand, maybe it was the defiance so clearly written in his eyes. Maybe it was the self-destructive personality trait Bruce heard the adults whisper about. 

But he tore the paper in half and threw it at Lewis's feet. And _smirked_. Samson couldn't jump on Lewis fast enough before the skinnier man was lunging, grabbing Tony by the arm and shaking him like a rag doll. 

"Hours!" Lewis shrieked, his nails drawing beads of blood from the young billionaire's arm. Tony wailed, his hand lashed out and striking Lewis on the ear. It wasn't a hard blow, Bruce could see that from where he was, but a weak on of desperation. Lewis only gripped harder before throwing Tony's tiny body across the room. The jarring sound of the impact of bones on concrete was seared into Bruce's mind. The electromagnet rolled out of Tony's pocket, clattering on the floor. 

Lewis advanced once more, kicking Tony viciously in the side. _Thud_ went Lewis's boot against Tony's ribs. Bruce trembled, the burning, twisting feeling in his stomach back, stronger than before. His eyes were glassy, vision pulsing red and green as he watched Samson move forward and try to peel Lewis away from Tony. The skinnier man was stronger than he looked, and the bigger man weaker than he looked. 

Bruce's lungs burned from holding his breath, his flesh tingled, and his mind _roared_. The scene before him burst into green flares as his heart hammered so loud it blocked out every one of Tony's cries and Lewis's hollers. 

It was painful, the feeling of his skin stretched and breaking, green bleeding onto his white skin. Bruce felt his arms break, violently, coming apart, tendons tearing underneath his skin. Any coherent thought in Bruce's brain was torn away, washed away in a flood of pain, panic, and anger. Yes, the anger. Red hot and burning, flashing behind his eyes, bursting through his blood, boiling it. 

He was sure he was screaming, he must have been because the pain of his bones breaking and resetting was so consuming. The final snap caused his back to arch and for a bloodcurdling scream to rip out of his throat. His spine was now in two pieces, expanding and stretched, cracking as his vertebrae separated. 

Then abruptly, Bruce was gone and another consciousness was taking over, emerging from somewhere deep inside of him. 

Tony watched this transformation through tear blurred eyes, his hand fumbling to recover the electromagnet that had fallen from his pocket. Lewis's jaw was gaped open, his body stiff, eyes wide. Samson whacked his companion on the back of his head. 

Bruce wasn't there anymore. In his place stood a four foot tall green... _boy_ Tony assumed. The monster was compact with whipcord muscles, bound like ropes across his chest and stomach. Tattered clothes clung to his muscular frame, his pants groaning at the waistband. The monster -Bruce- had a thick head of black hair, straight unlike Bruce's normal hair. 

Tony stared on in a mixture of awe and fear. The most captivating thing about Bruce now was his eyes; a poison green. And Tony couldn't help but be impressed at the rumbling roar that erupted from Bruce's chest. Lewis backed off, hands shaking, but Samson held his ground. He smirked at the monster, just begging it to come closer.

"Sam?" Lewis questioned hesitantly. Bruce roared again, the sound rumbling deep in his chest.

"Look how tiny it is," Samson laughed. _Laughed_. Tony saw the anger flare brightly in Bruce's green eyes. 

He roared, seemingly in protest, and lurched forward on unsteady feet. Tony had enough sense to scramble backwards, pressing his back against the wall and holding his hand over the sluggishly bleeding cuts from Lewis's nails in his arm. Lewis even stepped back, a movie playing in his eyes. 

Samson held his ground as Bruce advanced. The green beast snarled, muscles flexing underneath pulled skin, teeth bared, eyes darkening with anger at his stubborn adversary. 

Samson went at Bruce first, much like a savage animal himself. His arms wrapped around Bruce's neck, forearm squeezing against his windpipe. Bruce threw himself back towards the wall, growling. Despite his small height, Bruce was powerfully built. His muscular back easy squished Samson against the wall, drawing a grunt of pain from him. Samson refused to let go though, and muscled Bruce around, slamming him against the wall too. Tony winced at the solid thunk of body hitting stone. 

Lewis shouted out something to Samson that Tony didn't bother hearing. He was to focused on Bruce. Or at least what Bruce was now. That...monster (albeit an amazingly cool one) was not Bruce. Each roar was animalistic, driven by nothing but fury and instinct. The way Bruce's mouth contorted into snarls, showing his teeth like a dog and his muscles flexed as he shook, trying to dislodge Samson was primal. 

Tony didn't know what happened to the mild mannered boy of moments ago, and he didn't know if he'd ever come back. He also didn't know how Samson thought he could stop the short bundle of muscle and rage. 

Lewis shouted something that sounded like 'let go' followed by 'you cant calm him down!' Samson seemed to hear over the growling and grunts of effort, because he gave Bruce one last might push against the wall and was dashing out of the room, followed closely by Lewis. The door slammed behind them. 

The only sound now was the rapid beating of Tony's heart and the puffs of breaths from the creature. Tony was tense, watching Bruce just as intently as Bruce was watching him. Those green eyes flickered around the room, and those green fists clenched and unclenched. Bruce's chest heaved for air from the sudden exertion, powerful muscles straining against already taut skin. 

Then the eyes rested on him, seeming to burn straight through Tony's eyes and into his very soul. Almost thoughtfully, and with utmost purpose, Bruce tilted his head to one side and continued watching him. He seemed to be searching for a threat, for a move that could be interpreted as hostile. Tony only tightened his hold on the electromagnet and held his breath. 

Silence yawned in the room for long minutes, green eyes never leaving Tony's brown ones. "Bruce?" Tony dared hesitantly, his voice more of a squeak. The monster's eyes burned hotly for a moment, before just softening slightly. 

"Puny Banner," the monster snorted, as if offended. He jabbed himself in the chest. "Hulk." Tony stared. _Hulk_ , he said his name was. 

"Hi, Hulk," Tony greeted, swallowing. He assumed if Hulk wanted to hurt him, he would've done so by now. And it wasn't as if the monster was huge, but there was something powerful deep within him. Unkillable. 

"Where's-where's Bruce?" Tony asked, picking himself up slowly and slipping the magnet into his pocket. Hulk watched. 

"Bruce...Hulk protect Puny Banner. Banner like Tony. Hulk like Tony," And then he shrugged, like they were old friends and this was obvious. And wasn't that odd, Bruce liking Tony. Not a day ago they both hated each other. But it was odd in a good way, Tony thought warmly. He liked Bruce too. It was weird having someone to call 'friend'. Sure, Tony had friends, if that what you wanted to call people who only hung around you because you had cool, thousand-collar toys and you appeared on the covers of magazines. 

Bruce hadn't cared about that. He had pointedly and actively ignored Tony, despite this. But they were friends now because they got to know each other. On a personal level. More than skin deep connections had and were being forged.

"Yeah, Tony likes Bruce too. Now maybe if you could send him back...?" Tony wasn't entirely sure how this whole transformation thing worked. Could Bruce come back? Could the transformation happen again? It's be nice to have a sort of guide to work him through this. Instead he was stuck in a boiler room cell. 

Hulk stared at him for long moments before fixing his eyes on the door. His nostrils flared, like he was scenting the air for something. And, Tony mused, maybe he was. 

Hulk returned his gaze to Tony and those eyes weren't a radioactive green anymore. Now they were chocolate. Bruce's eyes.

Hulk shrunk, was the best way to put it. His green skin flaked and peeled, giving way to milk white skin. His bones cracked as they reset themselves to a smaller size. Muscles bleed back into his body, and just like it had never happened, Bruce stood there. It was only for a second though until his unfocused eyes rolled back in his head and his knees buckled and he landed in a graceless heap on the floor. 

Tony crawled across the floor, kneeling beside his new friend. Minute worry bubbled inside of him, but after seeing the flurry of Bruce's pulse in the side of his neck, it subsided. Turning into something like that must take its toll.

~

"Why did you call me to meet you at Central Park?" James Rhodes complained as he hoisted his black jacket up over his head to keep the rain out of his eyes. Pepper and Natasha shared an umbrella with the Stark Industries Logo printed on top of it (Tony tagged _everything_ he could. Even his favorite heels of Pepper's had a little Stark logo on the sole.) Steve and Clint and Thor (whom they managed to find clothes for) stood in the rain, the only one not minding was Thor. Despite the circumstances, he had declared cheerily that Asgard should have such 'wondrous phenomeons' too. 

"You have to promise not to tell a soul," Pepper began as she held the umbrella out for Rhodey to duck under. He looked from Pepper to each Avenger (noting Tony's absence) and sighed. 

"Tony already asks me to lie to my superiors as it is. Now you too, Pepper?" His tone was irritated, but by now Pepper knew that was as far as a conformation as she'd get. 

"I know, James, but we really need your help," She looked at Natasha and then at the boys. They all seemed slightly hesitant, like they weren't sure if they could trust Tony's long time friend or not. And Steve...he looked slightly heartbroken, his eyes fixed on the ground. 

Rhodey gave a reluctant sigh, eyes downcast before raising them to Pepper. "Alright," He conceded, before eying her warily. "What happened this time? And where is the billionaire in question?"

"Yeah, about that," Pepper looked at her backup, finally settling on Steve. He stepped forward, the rain plastering his blond hair to his forehead.

"A couple of weeks ago Doctor Bruce Banner had a lab incident," Steve began. Rhodey gave him a suspicious look and Pepper understood why. A sentence containing 'Banner' and 'lab incident' wasn't bound to end well. This didn't happen to be an exception. 

"Somehow his cells got deaged, I guess," Steve said, glancing at his fellow Avengers for support. 

"This affliction could have a magical origin," Thor inputted. Steve and Pepper both looked at him sharply. 

"This is the first time you mentioned 'magic', Thor," Pepper said, almost accusingly. Thor shrugged harmlessly.

"I did not say it was a likely possibility," He pointed out lightly. "Simply that it was plausible." Pepper sighed. Rhodey continued to look at people, brow furrowed.

"Okay, okay. So, Doctor Banner's cells got deaged. I'm a pilot, not a scientist. What does that mean, if someone wanted to explain it to me," Rhodey said dryly. Steve looked at him helplessly and shrugged.

"It means that he was turned into a four year old. With the same memory he had when he was really that age," Natasha interrupted, annoyance lining her voice. Rhodey breathed out.

"Uh, okay. That's...impossible. But, uh, say this did happen, why did you call me?"

"That's not the worst of it, Mr. Rhodes," Steve said solemnly. 

"Uh-huh," 

"Tony recreated the event and well, recreated the same effects that happened on Banner," Steve winced at Rhodey's shocked and disbelieving expression. 

"Are you telling me that he's four years old too?"

"That's what he's telling you," Natasha clarified. Rhodey closed his eyes and rubbed at his temples. 

"And you want me to...?"

"That's still not the worst of it," Steve said guiltily. "They kind of got...." He rubbed at the nape of his neck awkwardly. Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Kidnapped. They kind of got kidnapped," She deadpanned. Pepper blinked back tears and Rhodey exhaled in a 'whoosh'.

"Oh," He said in a small voice. Clint nodded and Thor did, more solemnly. "You need me to help you find them."

"Yes," Steve breathed, glad that they got that out of the way. And the pilot was handling it extremely well, all things considered. Then again, he was one of Tony's friends. He must see a lot of shit.

"Anything else I should know?" Rhodey asked. At some point he had maneuvered out from under the umbrella, so now his clothes clung to his body and beads of water dripped off the tip of his nose. 

"The arc reactor had to be removed, so it was more or less replaced with an electromagnet," Pepper supplied. Rhodey's face drooped. 

"Bruce thinks his grandmother is in the hospital, so that's why we're watching him. And Tony's parents are supposedly on a business trip in Thailand," Clint answered.

"Bruce got deaged before Tony, so Bruce thinks Tony is actually Tony Jr and his father is Tony Senior," Steve explained.

"So...Bruce knew Big Tony, but then Big Tony became Little Tony and to explain Big Tony's sudden disappearance you told Bruce that Big Tony was Little Tony's father, but they're really the same person?" Rhodey clarified.

"Yes," Steve confirmed. 

"Bruce still has the Hulk in him," Clint said.

"Nicky Fury said if we lose them, they're both being locked up under his 'care' and Clint and I lose our assassin and SHIELD agent status," Natasha said suddenly. Clint had forgotten about that part, and he physically felt himself pale. Luckily, it was overcast and hard to tell he did so. Clint didn't really think that Fury had the balls to follow through with it, but he was stubborn old bastard. Fortunately, Phil Coulson was a sturdy ally and could keep the director in line. For the most part. And nobody could stare down Natasha's glare. Nobody.

"That's-" Rhodey began

"Yeah. Intense," Clint answered a little more bitterly than he had intended. "And then there's Jarvis."

"Who has been deaged too." Pepper finished. Rhodey gaped at her.

"He's an AI. How is that even possible?" 

"I don't know, but at least we can say it had jack shit to do with science, or whatever the hell Bruce was doing in his lab," Clint snorted before dawning on something. "The SHIELD scientists are working on a cure by studying Banner's notes. Clearly whatever he was researching didn't cause this."

"So they've been wasting their time," Natasha mused. 

"And so has Tony," Steve added. Everyone looked at him, confused. "Well, Pepper said he went down to the labs to study Bruce's notes before he was deaged." They looked away. 

"Should we tell them?" Clint asked. Natasha shook her head.

"Let them chase their tails."

"So how again was Jarvis deaged?" Rhodey interrupted. Frankly, he couldn't take all of their babble. Especially when he didn't understand a word of it

"Magic," Thor answered simply. "It's not a spell I'm familiar with, but it's not outside of the realm of possibility."

"Are you saying Loki did this?" Natasha asked, rounding on the demi-god. She swore to _god_ if he was behind this...

"I highly doubt my brother scheme this," Thor said. No one missed the slightly defensiveness in his voice.

"Your brother is the god of tricks and mischief," Natasha pointed out. "And he killed eight people in two days."

"Loki is powerful enough to do this, but not from his cell in Asgard. I visited him before I left and he has not escaped,"

"I thought you sent him to the far reaches of the galaxy last time, and yet he came back and wrecked havoc on New York. And killed eighty people in two days,"

"Lady Natasha, I assure you this is not one of Loki's schemes. However, it could be a sorcerer," 

"From?" Clint interrupted Natasha's and Thor's banter. They both turned to look at him.

"A possibility is Asgard, but there are other planets with magic that Midgard has yet to encounter-" Thor began.

"Other planets? With more...aliens? Like what?" Steve said, squeezing his temples. Rhodey had long ago dropped his forehead into his hands as he tried to sort the overload of information.

"One race is the dark elves. And the Frost Giants that long ago went extinct. There is also a demon race, which I cannot recall the name of..." Thor trailed off and Steve sighed loudly.

"Okay, so it's magic from some place in the galaxy. Why?" No one had a chance to answer Steve's inquiry before Pepper talked.

"Fascinating as this is, we can talk about this tonight. _After_ we recover the two missing Avengers," She snapped. Everyone mumbled their agreements. 

They spanned out to search the park for clues. A note, a track, _something_ , but the rain made everything muddy and blurry. They all continued to search though.

~

"Come in," Nick Fury said from behind his desk at the sound of someone knocking. He looked up went the door opened and closed and there was Agent Coulson, looking spiffy in his suit, but still much too gaunt and pale from the long recovery and physical therapy hours he had to endure. Fury was not softhearted, but something about his weakened friend caused a strange sensation to ache in his chest. 

"Sir, I'd like permission to help the Avengers and Ms. Potts with their deaged teammates," Phil requested formally. Fury stared at him hard, his single remaining black eye narrowing. 

"Why?" He asked cautiously. He knew that Phil was close to the Avengers (namely Clint, Natasha, and Steve. The latter was slightly one sided, not that Phil knew that. Steve was nice enough to him.) but asking to be a babysitter seemed a little uncharacteristic. After the close call with Loki, Fury had put Coulson on light duties once he was fit enough to return to work. He didn't considered light duties to be babysitting. Phil Coulson was a SHIELD agent, not a fifteen year old girl. 

"Agent Barton and Agent Romanov could return to their duties, Ms. Potts could return her focus to Stark Industries, and Captain America could continue his training program with new recruits," Phil explained. That wasn't a _reason_ though. 

"Again, why, Agent Coulson, do you want to babysit Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark?" 

"Sir, with all due respect, I'm not being helpful around HQ. I'd be put to much better use assisting my team. The team you told me to look over," 

"Your team, Agent Coulson?" Fury was just pushing Phil's buttons now. Before the team had even been assembled, back when it was just a tickle of an idea in Fury's mind (okay, maybe it was more of his and Stark's minds), he had talked to Coulson and told him that he'd be in charge of the team. A sort of leader that does't actually go out on the missions. That would be Captain America's duty. 

Coulson had jokingly compared it to being the Sensi of the Ninja Turtles or Professor X to his X-Men. Fury had agreed, they went their separate ways, and the matter had never been breached again.

Until now that it. Until now it had floated in a sort of limbo, silently acknowledged and accepted by both Fury and Coulson even as the team gathered to fight Loki. But they hadn't talked about it once, and Fury would've liked to keep it that way. He thought that maybe after the incident, Coulson would forget things like that. The man was tough as steel though (despite his wiry appearance). 

"You don't remember?" Phil said, breaking through Fury's memories. 

"I remember, Agent Coulson, but so much has happened between now and then that the promise seems moot now," Fury turned his eyes back to his computer screen and all the blinking reports he had to read and file. He still hadn't gotten around to quelling the Counsel, or the United States Government. Sure, he'd silenced them for now, but the angry emails he received grew in numbers everyday. It wouldn't be long before someone sent him a hate cake.

He scrolled through the files and saw one red alarm button going off silently in the corner of his screen. After all the times Jarvis had hacked into the SHIELD databases, he finally just turned that annoying, Star Trek-like red alert sound off. That didn't stop him from scowling and audibly cursing the nosy AI and his even nosier creator. 

"Promises don't expire," Phil said. And Fury was surprised. It wasn't that Phil was timid, or exceptionally obedient, but he didn't usually press matters. Not unless they were urgent or very important (usually on a personal level) to him. The last time Phil had pushed for anything was to get Fury's ass in gear for him to go see Rogers and drag him by his ear to the Helicarrier. Of course the only reason Phil was so damn pushy was because he was the biggest fanboy for Captain America. And he was not ashamed (and Fury knew this not because Coulson said so but because if he was, Fury highly doubted he'd wave his vintage -and now very much bloodstained and ruined- Captain America trading cards around like he did. Hill could recite how many notches were in each card from the number of times Coulson had shoved them under her nose when she was filing a report.). 

Nick sighed and leaned back, his chair squeaking He folded his arms across his stomach and just peered at his old friend. Usually agents would squirm under his gaze, but Phil was no ordinary agent He stared him down definitely, as only Coulson (and sometimes Natasha. And Stark. And Banner on a bad day) could do.

"They're yours," Fury conceded reluctantly. He let the displeasure ooze into his voice too. Coulson hardly noticed, because he gave Nick a breathless thank you and was out of his office. The director watched and gave an unamused huff. Children.

~

Samson and Lewis returned to the cell about an hour after they had left. Tony had stayed by Bruce's still unconscious form, inching closer when the door opened. Lewis was carrying something that looked like the ransom note Tony had torn up earlier. But this time he didn't pass it to the young billionaire and demand his signature. 

"Come with us," Samson said in that gravelly voice of his. Tony glanced down at Bruce, then back up at his captors. 

"He's coming too," Lewis answered the silent question before bending down and muscling Bruce into his arms. Tony picked himself off of the ground and trailed behind them, stepping out into a basement that smelled even worse than the boiler room. He was looking around with wide eyes, trying to remember every detail so his father could snub these guys when he got home, when something whacked him on the head. Again. 

Stars burst behind his eyes and the world ripped, his vision blotting to black. He swayed on unsteady feet before collapsing onto the cold basement floor and spinning away into a dizzying abyss.

~

Bruce awoke on wet grass. It clung to his naked back uncomfortably, and stuck in his hair. Some had even gotten into his mouth. His head hurt something awful; an insistent throbbing at his temples, and behind his eyes, and jolts running down the base of his skull and spine. His blood tingled with something Bruce recognized as adrenaline. His entire body ached, from his collar bone to his feet. All of his muscles felt torn and messily healed, so each move was agonizing. 

Bruce managed to roll onto his stomach and spotted Tony, laying close to him on the grass. Laying close and so very still. Using the adrenaline coursing through him, Bruce crawled over to his friend, just barely seeing each rise and fall of his chest. He glanced down briefly and saw the outline of the electromagnet in his pocket and breathed a sigh of relief.

He glanced around, barely able to see through the dense fog and rain. He could tell by the nip in the air it was nearing evening, or already was. And, obviously, they were no longer in the boiler room. Bruce inferred that their captors had returned them to the park. But for what purpose? Had the ransom been paid? Had something else come up?

The child leaned back on his heels and looked around, only seeing the blur of streetlights through the fog. He could hear the 'whoosh' of car tires not far away, speeding through puddles. And of course the blare of horns and screeching tires. 

And there. A gray sliver of a piece of paper protruded from the grass. Bruce shimmied forward and scooped it up, careful not to tear the damp paper. It looked like the ransom note Lewis had given them in the basement, made of only cutout letters. The note read: _'They were more trouble than they were worth'_ and nothing else. Bruce could hardly believe their good fortune. And he could hardly believe that finally _hope_ did work.

However, there was one disconcerting thing pressing at his mind. The last thing he remembered was seeing Tony beat up by Lewis, and feeling fear and anger and desperation all at the same time. He could remember pain; so much it blacked him out apparently. What was that pain? And why had the captors _now_ decided they weren't worth the effort?

Bruce folded his legs underneath him, his headache just growing with each thought. He glanced down at his bare chest and furrowed his brow together. Now, was't that odd? And his pants hung loosely around his hips, torn and frayed at the edges. The only remains of his shirt hung in tatters on his skinny, small frame. 

~

They had been searching the park for the better part of two hours and frankly, even Steve was beginning to feel disheartened. He sat on one of the benches, soaked to the bone, and eyes dropping. They must have covered the park twice over (it didn't seem right that any _park_ should be this big) but Pepper told him that it would take longer than two hours to search every inch of the park. And apparently that is what they were doing. 

Natasha had groaned at this revelation, but it had been so tiny Steve wasn't sure if he even heard it. Clint had hung his in defeat before raising it and nodding with determination. It wasn't like they had lost a hat in the park, they'd lost two people. Two people who were, nonetheless, their friends and teammates (or companions from war, as Thor put it). 

But Steve couldn't help but drop his head into his hands every once and a while and mutter defeat. He'd stay disheartened (like he was now) for a while before lifting his chin and remembering if he had given up, he would've been dead long before he even had the serum. 

So he searched on until he fell into this bench to catch his breath.

Through the fog he could see the hazy outline of Pepper and Rhodey, sharing the umbrella. James Rhodes. That was his name. And didn't the name 'James' feel like a bullet in his heart. He was used to it, the everyday ache of missing all the people he ever knew. And after a while he even got used to Tony talking about Peggy. Once, the billionaire offered to take Steve to see her in the nursing home (and god, she must be _at least ninety_ now), but he had declined. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her, it was that she was not _his_ Peggy. Knowing that she had a good life, a satisfying life, was enough for him. 

Maybe he was being selfish. Maybe he ought to go see her, as old friends do. Maybe he was breaking her heart by refusing to see her, but his own heart couldn't handle it. Seeing her like that...seeing her frail and fragile was just too much. She was sure she still had spirit; no one and nothing could ever change that, but she wasn't the strong, empowered young woman Steve had fallen in love with.

But despite this, despite every tinge of pain he felt over Peggy, it was just the name 'James' that ruined him for the second time. Bucky...he missed him the most. His _brother_ , the best friend Steve could have wished for. The event of his death would play in Steve's mind every time he closed his eyes. He could still remembered his tortured wail of 'Bucky' when he fell from that train. 

Rhodey was certainly not Bucky, but just sharing a name was too much. Too Much too soon.

Steve breathed out deeply through his nose and collected himself. He had a duty to his team now. No soldier left behind. He stood from his bench and ran through the park again, looking in eve the most absurd places; underneath benches, behind statues, inside of water fountains. 

He was starting to feel disheartened again when he heard the sound of grass rustling. Through the descending dark he could see a hazy silhouette, smaller than any of his companions. With cautious hope he walked forward on silent feet.

"Hello?" He called out when he was a little closer to the blob. The outline stopped all movements and turned to look at him. The figure scrambled to its feet with a little happy noise and flung itself at Steve's legs. 

And there was that curly mat of brown hair pressed against his leg, shirtless and wet and trembling with the cold. Steve let out a happy shout ad bent down, scooping Bruce into his arms. Any caution the child must have had disappeared with this event. 

"Bruce!" Steve clutched the child to him, feeling his steady heart against his chest and his warm breath tickling the back of his neck. 

"Steve," Bruce said more quietly, wrapping his arms around Steve's muscular neck. Steve could hear the footsteps of his teammates running up behind him. Pepper was on him first, ripping Bruce from his arms and hugging him to her chest. 

"Oh god, I was so worried," She breathed into his curls. For once in what seemed like forever, she wasn't crying. That is until she let the barefoot child drop gently to the ground when she realized Tony was not with him. She bent down and grasped Bruce's hands. "Bruce...where-where is Tony?" All eyes turned to look at her and Bruce.

Bruce tugged on Pepper's hand and guided her over to the spot where Steve had seen him sitting. Just now did Steve noticed a small, bundle on the ground that could easily be mistaken for a rock. Steve and the rest of the group inched forward, unlike Pepper who rushed forward. She knelt down by the lump and threw a smile over her shoulder. 

"He's fine," She called out. Steve had never heard her sound so relieved. He skipped forward and kneeled next to her. Tony looked serene just lying there.

"We should get going," Natasha interrupted from her place beside Clint. Pepper nodded and pulled Tony into her arms, tucking him close to her chest. Fortunately, his shirt had kept the wires underneath it fairly dry and the electromagnet was safely tucked into his pocket. 

The group set off, and Steve offered to carry Bruce. He thought the kid might be more comfortable, especially since he wasn't wearing shoes or socks. Instead Bruce just shook his head and took Steve's large, calloused hand in his own. He then unfurled his other hand and exposed a rumpled, wet piece of paper. Steve took it and unfolded it with his free hand as best as he could. He could just make out the words 'They were more trouble than they were worth.'

Not even Steve Rogers could stop the little smirk that spread across his face as he squeezed Bruce's hand. Clearly, those sons of bitches had gotten a lot more than they bargained for.


	16. The White Pieces Go First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil Coulson decides it's time to bite the bullet. Pepper hates that Tony is such a procrastinator (and that he's deaged). The boys decide they need to go swimming. Jarvis has a realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry this took forever to get up! I had about half of it written for a while, and then I got really busy. But, honestly, I did have a lot of trouble with this chapter, because it's a transition from plot to plain fluff, so it's not that exciting. But look forward to the next chapter, because it'll be a lot of fluff. Also, keep in mind this chapter has quite a bit of dialogue, especially at the beginning, but bear with me :3 And Jarvis is a hologram, technically, but in my mind he can still interact with things (like picking stuff up), so he does.  
> Warnings: Swearing, technological butchering, extremely unedited. I really wanted to post it for you guys, so the ending is a bit rushed and awkward.

Gestures are all that he has. He wasn't blessed with Banner's intelligence, he wasn't gifted with Stark's intuitiveness, or Rogers' righteousness, or Barton's practiced patience. And it wasn't that he lacked intelligence (maybe to an extent. Or maybe it is just because he's more intune with his emotions.), but the fact that he cannot express himself. There are language barriers, and there is his language barrier. Sign language doesn't work (and it's not as if he could grasp the concept of it anyhow), any machinery they gave him, he'd break (maybe unintentionally) and he cannot learn words with more than two syllables. Actually, he even has trouble with two syllable words. 

So yes, gestures are all he is gifted with. Sometimes they're misunderstood, but he can hardly blame them. Humans lost the knowledge of body language and actions long ago when the written word was invented. They don't understand him, and sometimes he doesn't understand them, but he tries. When he has the patience to, and more often than not he doesn't. 

Maybe if Banner exercised him more he'd learn to have patience. Maybe they'd learn to understand his gestures, and he'd learn to understand their words. And then maybe there would be less guns, less smashing (although how does he _love_ smashing) and more compromise. 

Except these are only the thoughts he can have when he lurks in the back of Bruce's mind. When he comes out, there's no time for thinking or speaking. There is time for gestures. For smashing and roaring. 

But sometimes he'd wish he had a tongue that didn't seem so swollen that he could form words. Sometimes, when he had time, he'd wish Stark would sit him down and teach him how to talk with words instead of smashing and roaring and gestures. 

Sometimes, he wished Banner would loosen his hold just a little so he'd _learn_ as Banner learned. Through Banner's eyes. 

But these are only stray thoughts he had in calm moments. As soon as things get heated as they always do, all thoughts of learning and communication is gone, for all he feels is anger. 

~ 

They didn't talk about the day at the park after that night. The kids seemed alright, all things considered (despite Bruce being slightly frazzled because he lost a day in his memory) and Tony practically ogled Bruce. The only plus side; they were inseparable. 

It was two days after the incident that everyone really fell into a normal, daily regime. Clint and Natasha still had to go on their missions, but they both offered to watch Tony and Bruce whenever Pepper couldn't. Steve helped refine agents' combat skills so long as they went to a local SHIELD outpost, so if something came up be could hop on a plane and be back in New York in under three hours. Thor said he planned on hanging around Earth for a while, at least a month or so to help out and to spend time with Jane. Pepper offered him a room at Stark Tower that he readily accepted (although stated he'd probably be spending most nights with Jane. Steve blushed so furiously the sauce in their spaghetti looked pale in comparison). Even Rhodey said that he wasn't going to be terribly busy, so if they needed him they could call him up too. 

Pepper thanked them all for helping (Clint and Steve waved it off, stating that as members of this team, they were obligated, even if Bruce and Tony weren't their personal friends.) and said she wouldn't hesitate to call any of them up. Natasha seemed disgruntled at this, but didn't protest. Pepper was sure she heard Clint praising the redheaded assassin on the way out. 

It was the morning of the third day after the park that Pepper's phone buzzed beside her on the nightstand. Groggily, she ran a hand over her eyes and fumbled for her Stark Phone, sliding her thumb across the screen to unlock it. There was new message from Phil Coulson, simply saying 'I'm coming over at ten'. Pepper glanced at the clock. 9:30. It was odd that she slept so late. That had been happening lately. Perhaps her body was compensating for the emotional toll of the last couple of days. 

Coulson arrived on the dot as per usual. He was dressed in a drab suit, a small smile on his lips and a handful of papers. Pepper invited him in warmly, glad that the kids were still sleeping. She trusted Phil with her life, but some part of her still wanted to hide Bruce and Tony.

"Phil, how can I help you?" She asked, pouring both of them a cup of coffee. They sat down at the table, and Phil spread the papers over the table. 

"These papers are photocopies of our scientists' notes," Phil explained. He hovered his hand over the second stack. "These are all the reports Stark is behind on." Pepper sighed and sat her cup down with a clink. 

"I see," she said hesitantly. Phil smiled again to ease the tension. 

"I'm here because Fury wanted me to be. It's nothing personal," He said and Pepper knew this. Phil wouldn't willingly come knocking on her door just to complain. 

"Yes, Phil, I understand," She gestured at the papers. "Go on."

"Well," Phil cleared his throat. "Our scientists have made some headway into Banner's original research and Tony's add-ons. But none of it has any correlation to cell regression. In fact, it seemed to be mindless rambling more than anything else. Banner's whims and Tony's elaborations."

"So...?"

"So Banner's work is pointless. We've been wasting our time. It's a deadend if our scientists record everything correctly. Here," Phil pushed the stack of photocopied notes across the table to Pepper. "Take a look yourself." She picked up the first paper and skimmed through the scrawl.

"I'm not a scientist, Phil," She sighed as she sat the paper back down. "I don't know what any of this means." 

"Neither am I, Miss Potts. But Banner's research did have something to do with cells-"

"I thought you said his research was pointless."

"I did. His research on cells as specific to his own, Hulk-altered cells. If you ever look at his blood under a microscope, you'd understand what I'm talking about-"

"I don't plan on doing that."

"I didn't say you were. Anyway, his research was specific to his cells. And it seemed like he was creating baseline formulas that might have a chance at cleansing the Hulk from his cells. Unfortunately for him, Hulk's existence is like a weed throughout his entire body as far as we can tell. He isn't going anywhere too fast."

"What does this have to do with cellular regression?"

"Exactly. It has absolutely nothing to do will cellular regression, so our time has been wasted. What I'm here to talk about is if Banner's research had nothing to do with the deaging problem, what did?" Phil stared at her intently.

"I wish I knew, Phil," Pepper sighed and rubbed at the nape of her neck. Could she trust Phil enough to tell him about the possibility of magic? Or about what had happened to Jarvis?

"A Thor mentioned magic might be the cause," Jarvis's voice said suddenly. If he was human, Pepper would've smacked him. Apparently he wasn't a mind-reader like old Jarvis. And he was a little brat, wasn't he?

"Pepper...?" It was a question. Jarvis's voice was different; cocky and arrogant unlike the wise humor that was in old Jarvis's voice. She looked down at her socked toes and shrugged.

"Something might have happened to Jarvis similar to what happened to Bruce and Tony," Pepper winced as Phil paled. 

"And magic? As in Loki?"

"Er, no. Magic as in Asgardian sorcerers."

"So, Jarvis doesn't have all the information he -uh- collected over the years?"

"Pretty much he just has his baseline coding. Of course security files, documents, passwords and stuff is automatically backed up. Everything else it pretty much...gone." 

"I see," Phil's voice was cold, but Pepper could tell his displeasure was directed at the situation, not her or even Jarvis. "So, Thor said an Asgardian sorcerer could have done this?"

"He said a magician from any realm, not just Asgard, could do it."

"What kind of spell is it?"

"He said he wasn't familiar with it, but it's just possible."

Phil cleared his throat and looked at the ceiling. His eyes fell back to Pepper. He took a sip of his coffee and touched the other stack of papers. "Now that that is out of the way, the reports." Pepper grimaced. Tony would say she'd done goofed up if he was here.

"The reports," She said quietly. She meant to do them for Tony. She really did.

"You're way behind. You know that self-sustaining clean energy Tony was promoting? Yeah, people want that. You have to find time to arrange a meeting with them. There's still remnants of the weapons you have to order the disposal of," Phil looked up at her from under his brow. "And, of course, you need to chose what weapons to get rid of. Tony has suits he made that need clearance for disposal-"

"Like the Mark Suits?" Pepper asked, confused. "I'm pretty sure he even wants to keep the prototypes. He's always been sentimental. I think he even has his first arc reactor and his malfunctioning robots DUM-E and Butterfinger-"

"Not the Mark Suits. Other types of Iron Man suits. Did he ever tell you about a line of suits designed to fight the Hulk?"

"Doesn't sound familiar, no,"

"He made them when he was still making weapons for the government; long before he met Banner, of course. The main suit is appropriately named the 'Hulk-Buster'," Phil flipped through the stack of reports until he pulled out one. He showed Pepper. "This is the contract he made with the Army for Hulk-Busting weapons. You know that sound cannon that turned out to be really effective against the Hulk? He designed that and sold it to the army."

"This was before Afghanistan," Pepper's voice shook a little. Tony made weapons, she knew that, but he never said he made weapons for specific reasons, for specific people. 

"The suit was after. He never followed through with that specific contract, if it makes you feel any better. He never told the Army 'no' either. That needs to be remedied and fast; Ross if chomping at the bit and has been for as long as I can remember. I think he's starting to realize it's just not going to happen, but you best snuff the candle completely. He had other unresolved issues that create a list too long to read, as you can tell."

"I cant get these all done," Pepper huffed as she eyed the intimidating stack.

"You can with time," The conversation seemed to end there, Pepper mentally cursing the impromptu meeting with Phil and Phil awkwardly looking around. He seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he didn't so an odd silence befell the room. It was the kind of silence that consumed everything, thick with unspoken words. Phil continued to mindless scan the area he'd seen at least a thousand times with his eyes and Pepper began to thumb through the reports. The majority of them were pointless; busy work she called it. Something to preoccupy her. Doing reports like these (consisting of little more than a quick scan of the fine print and the swipe of a pen across paper to make her signature) was numbing. She often found herself reading the words (not comprehending them) and signing her name over and over again in the space provided. 

"I came to offer my assistance, Ms. Potts," Phil said suddenly. Pepper tried not to act surprised (she really shouldn't have been) and the papers fell into a neat stack. She glanced up. Phil was looking at her, but it was more of a sideways glance.

"What kind of assistance?" She eyed him, almost warily. If he came out of the goodness of his heart, that Pepper wasn't so haughty as to turn away his help. If he came on Fury's behalf, then the conversation was moot. 

"I know the reports are going to be stressful and time consuming. I also know the rest of the Avengers have other things they are doing," Phil shrugged. "Ever since the Helicarrier, Fury has had me mope around HQ on 'light duties', if changing the ink in the printer is even considered a duty. I thought I could be of better use watching Stark and Banner while you work and the others are away. After all, Fury appointed me the overseer of this team." 

Pepper smiled, a big relieved, 'of course Phil came out of the goodness of his heart' smile. "Well, I'm not going to say no," She slapped her hands down on the stack of reports. "You could start today, just as soon as the kids wake up. I can introduce them to you as their glorified babysitter." Phil grimaced.

"A 'babysitter' isn't exactly what I'd call it," He wasn't even going to bring up the fact that Pepper so loosely used the word 'kids' as if Bruce and Tony really were four year olds. It was odd, to say the least and Phil certainly wasn't expecting it. Stark and Banner was kind of a mouthful, though. 

"I know what you'd call it," Pepper winked. Their exchanges could almost be seen as flirtatious, and maybe that was the whole point. Friends teased each other like that. Phil was too old for her as it is, despite the fact that Pepper was already spoken for. "I'll go get Bruce and Tony and bring them out to see you," With that the redhead disappeared down the hall. 

Coulson was nervous; more so than any agent of his clearance had a right to be. With all the things he's seen and done, at this point nothing should phase him. But he's read Tony and Bruce's files at great length and several times over (they both made surprisingly good text to read over morning coffee at a local diner) He knew every dark little secret they either hid in the corner of their minds or blocked out completely. He knew about Banner's checkered past, the trouble with his father's abuse, the fights he got into when he was in high school, the bouncing back and forth between therapists before he was old enough to skip town and escape to college. He knew about Tony's desperation to just get his father to notice him, the car accident that stole both of his parents' lives, and the torturous memories of Afghanistan. He knew it all. 

Of course, they were only four and the majority of those events had yet to come to fruition, in their minds at least, but Bruce's father, Brian, was still an abusive alcoholic and Tony's father was extremely neglectful. Four years old and both coping with things no one should ever have to.

Pepper returned soon, followed by two groggy genius'. Tony was clad in a button up onesie, printed with Starships. Bruce was wearing a white t-shirt with a radioactive sign painted green and red in the middle and his cotton sleeping pants were printed with all of the numbers of pi. How Pepper had ever managed to find those, Phil didn't know.

Pepper stopped a few feet away from Coulson and gestured at him. Bruce was immediately wary, dark brown eyes darkening even more. He inched closer to Pepper's leg. Tony observed Phil through suspicious, slitted eyes. The agent wasn't quite sure what he did to deserve Little Tony's hostility. 

"Boys, this is Phil Coulson. He's going to be watching over you while I...while I go to work and the others are busy. Phil, this is Bruce," Pepper grabbed the curly haired boy's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She then ruffled Tony's hair with her free hand. "And this is Tony. Boys, say hi," They both did, miraculously. Tony's was a bratty kind of hi and Bruce's was quiet, so quiet Phil's ears had to strain to hear it. 

"Pepper," That was Jarvis. "I don't understand why you hired a balding agent to watch us," Us? Phil stared quizzically at the ceiling. It wasn't as it he had anywhere else to stare. Pepper rolled her green eyes.

"Jarvis, seriously? No one's watching you. And what would I do? Leave you in charge of them? The entire tower would be underwater by the time I got back," She was impatient with the AI. She missed old Jarvis. Missed him a lot. 

Tony was laughing though, a shit-eating smile on his face. If Jarvis could've taught himself to laugh, he would have. Bruce was smirking too, his face just visible from behind Pepper's leg. 

And Phil didn't happen to be too impressed with any of them. Little fuckers. "Jarvis, we could just put you on mute," The AI almost seemed to make the house buzz as he thought. Then the hum stopped and Jarvis was there, standing by Tony, looking smug and self satisfied.

Of course, it was an avatar Jarvis conjured up. The avatar looked about as old as Bruce and Tony, give a year or two. He was blue from head to toe, the hologram flickering just slightly as Jarvis worked out the kinks. His hair was cropped short, he was dressed in what looked like overalls, and his arms were crossed. He fit right in with Tony, like two pieces of the same puzzle. Tony was a human genius and now, apparently, Jarvis was an avatar genius. And Bruce, yeah, he was a genius too, but too humble to show it.

Tony hardly seemed surprised by the AI's sudden manifestation (Phil figured he must have done this before) and simply highfived the AI (or low-fived, since the slap was made behind their backs and close to the ground). Bruce snickered and Jarvis peeled back his blue lips to smile at him. In their eyes there were secrets, and friendship. 

It was a no-brainer that Jarvis would click with Tony (must be that handy master-creator link, even if neither of them actually registered what they were to each other) but Bruce was a surprising addition. He and Tony got along well enough, but Jarvis (at least this Jarvis) almost seemed like a worse Tony. That thought made Phil's brain spin. How could there be a worse Tony? That point aside, they were like the Three Musketeers, or the Three Stooges now, or some other famous trio. No doubt they'd drive Phil crazy within the week.

Pepper wasn't surprised by Jarvis's avatar either, but she simply rolled her eyes and released Bruce's hand. The quieter child scooted closer to Tony and the three of them huddled together, snickering and laughing like schoolyard pals. 

The redheaded woman sat back down across from Phil and gave him an apologetic smile. "Sure you still want to babysit? There's three of them now." 

~

Babysitting was definitely not like the textbooks said it would be. Or maybe it was and babysitting two genius children and genius avatar that made the job a hell of a lot more like a chore. Pepper had escaped to god knows where for some peace and quite to work on the reports (and watch Sex and the City, she had mumbled under her breath as she danced her way to the elevator. So it was just Phil and the kids in the communal living room.

Jarvis and Tony were building a skyscraper out of Legos, hundreds and hundreds of Legos. Bruce was drawing with crayon on the floor, the drawing utensil leaving colorful smudges behind on the wood. Phil had tried to discreetly slide paper underneath Bruce's crayon, but the four year old always shoved it away, much to Phil's disgruntlement. Luckily, Tony had enough money and then some to pay for repairs. 

"Let's go swimming!" Tony shouted suddenly, startling Phil enough to drop his tablet. It clattered harmlessly to the floor. The young billionaire was staring his babysitter down, eyes burning and bright with hope. Jarvis was frowning and Bruce was peeking hopefully over his shoulder. Phil glanced between the three kids and shrugged. 

"Why not? Where do you want to go?" The agent asked, picking up his tablet and setting it beside him. Tony looked at Bruce and then at Jarvis and shrugged.

"I dunno,"

"The tower has an indoor pool," Jarvis supplied helpfully. "Level 4." The avatar sounded downcast, holographic eyes fixed on holographic feet and small hands ringing behind his back. Tony bounced on the balls of his feet, a big smile breaking across his face. 

“I haven’t been swimming in forever!” Tony said happily, grabbing Bruce’s hand and pulling him to his feet. Jarvis smiled at Tony’s pleased expression, and Bruce’s brown eyes glinted with excitement. “I bet it’s huge,” Tony said as Coulson led them across the communal area to the elevator. “Like everything else in this tower. And with a waterslide.” 

“I doubt it Tony. It’s probably a pool used for exercise, not recreation.” Phil said as gently as possible. Tony wasn’t much of a swimmer, so the pool was probably more for the rest of the Avengers to build up their muscles. Tony glanced at the ground, a brief shadow crossing his face before he glanced to Jarvis and Bruce and smiled.

“That’s okay, right guys?” Both of the other kids nodded.

The pool was bigger than Phil imagined it would be. It was rectangular, filling nearly the entirety of the room. The walls were lines of long mirrors, from ceiling to floor. Polished blue and white tiles covered the floor. The air was thick with chlorine. Crystal blue water filled the pool to the brim, occasionally licking the edge and spilling over the side of the pool. There was a door marked ‘Restrooms’ and a door marked ‘Changing Rooms’ like it was a public pool. 

Tony rushed to the edge, just about ready to throw himself in, clothes and all, but skidded to a halt. His hands flew protectively over his missing arc reactor. Phil almost forgot the gap was even in his chest, seeming as the pale blue light was gone. 

“Do you all know how to swim?” Phil asked, holding out his hand as Tony sulkily made his way back over to the agent. The young billionaire took Phil’s hand and they, along with Jarvis and Bruce, walked around the pool to the changing rooms. 

“I cannot swim,” Jarvis said solemnly. His hands were still clasped behind his back. “I’m just a holograph,” Phil looked down at the avatar and frowned. 

“Well, that doesn’t sound like an abundance of fun for you. Would you like to do something else?” Tony looked panicked at Phil’s suggestion, but Bruce didn’t seem like he minded. The deaged scientist glanced to Jarvis.

“We don’t want to do stuff without you, Jarvis.” Bruce said. The holographic child smiled a small smile. 

“No, I don’t mind watching. I’m too advanced for swimming.” Jarvis smirked and Tony laughed good-naturedly. Phil couldn’t help but smile too.

“Maybe we could throw them diving sticks or something,” Phil offered as he pushed open the changing room door and ushered the children inside. Jarvis opted to stay out, since he didn’t need to change. After searching for two swim suits for Bruce and Tony, Phil left the room also.

Tony was the first to come out, wearing black swim trunks with two bold yellow streaks down the side. Apparently, Pepper had some forethought and stored a plastic protector for his arc reactor and electromagnet. The plastic cup over Tony’s chest looked a little funny, but Phil didn’t dare laugh. Jarvis seemed distracted and hardly noticed. 

Bruce came out after wearing blue swim trunks with green draw strings and a singular green stripe down the sides. Bruce’s brown hair was stark against the pale skin of his chest. The scientist looked so tiny, narrow, nearly brittle, bones outlines under taut skin. However, he wasn’t what Phil would call scrawny, just small. 

Tony didn’t hesitate to pad across the room to the ladder. He touched the tip of his toe into the water, goose bumps immediately rising on his bare arms and legs. “Burr,” Tony shook, but continued to smile. Bruce stood eagerly behind him, rocking back on his heels and arms wrapping around his skinny frame. As Tony slowly lowered himself into the pool inch by inch, Jarvis and Phil scavenged around the pool room in search of board games, diving sticks, or waterguns they could use against Bruce and Tony. 

In the end they found a chess board , an array of colorful water toys, and a single, old watergun made of Styrofoam. Tony finally submerged himself in the water, legs kicking and flailing as his little head bobbed above the water. Already his dark brown hair was flattened to his skull and the back of his neck. Bruce didn’t take as long, disappearing underneath the water and kicking until he popped up beside Tony. His bangs had flopped into his eyes, looking long and especially unkempt in it’s wet state. 

Tony smiled and arched his feet down to tiptoe across the concrete bottom of the pool. Bruce, being a more avid swimmer, dove under again, using his wiry muscles to keep him close to the bottom. He pulled Tony down too, hearing the kid sputter and laugh as his lips gurgled against the top of the water. After a moment, Tony gave in and sunk down, bouncing on the bottom of the pool. Blindly, Tony reached out with both of his hands until he gripped what was either Bruce’s arm or leg. The playfully tackled each other under the water for a few minutes until bobbing back up to the surface and rubbing water out of their eyes. 

Phil helped Jarvis set up the chess board on a small white table between two plastic chairs. “White or black?” Phil asked, keeping one eye of Jarvis and one on the kids. It wouldn’t do his reputation as a babysitter any good If Bruce and Tony drowned on his watch. 

“White,” Jarvis replied, setting up his pieces. Phil set up the black pieces and gestured for Jarvis to go first. The holograph looked at the board and sighed, fingers ghosting over the pieces. He then looked helpless up at Phil and shrugged. “I read that chess was a good, popular game for the intelligent portion of the population. But…I’m not exactly sure how to play.” If Jarvis had been a human, he would’ve blushed. He had considered just looking it up and downloading the information, but decided to just _ask_ for once. Phil only smiled graciously and proceeded to explain the rules.

“Marco,” Bruce called, arms held above the water and tiptoes barely touching the bottom. Tony sniggered and inched along the edge in the shallow end. 

“Polo,” Tony called out quietly, bemused at Bruce’s stumbling figure. The curly haired child frowned.

“I didn’t hear you,” He said and Tony rolled his eyes.  
“Polo!” He repeated. Bruce’s closed eyes turned to him and Tony squeaked as the boy jumped through the water towards him, grinning and lunging like a wild cat. Tony squealed and ducked just out of Bruce’s outstretched arms, accidentally throwing himself under the water in the process. He sputtered to the surface, blinking the water away and turned to see Bruce coming at him again, still grinning like a maniac. 

Tony pushed at Bruce’s arm and hopped through the water that hovered just above his waist on his tiptoes. Bruce reached out and grasped Tony’s arm, pulling him back and holding him still. Bruce’s eyes fluttered open and he smiled at his victory.

“I win!”

“Oh, bite me,” Tony scowled, but not bitterly. He gave Bruce a gently shove backwards and took off again, smirking back over his shoulder and daring Bruce to follow him into the deep end. Bruce didn’t hesitate to dive under and swim underneath the water after Tony.

“Check,” Jarvis said, moving his bishop into position diagonal of Phil’s king. Phil sighed through his nose, knowing it was a losing battle. His pieces consisted of a few pawns, one castle, and his king. Jarvis still had his queen, king, one bishop, one knight, four pawns, and one castle. Phil could take some of Jarvis’s pawns, but it would be pointless because it would leave his castle open for attack from Jarvis’s horse, or castle. Right now, the only thing Phil could really do was keep moving his king to the right and farther away from Jarvis’s looming bishop. The hologram's queen hadn’t even moved from her original position. Phil briefly considered trying to get one of his pawns across to Jarvis’s side and regaining his queen, but the kid’s side was fortified too heavily. So, Phil just moved his piece over, one away from the corner. Jarvis moved his castle this time, leaving a pawn vulnerable and sliding it all the way to the left. 

“Check mate,” Jarvis smirked. Phil slouched. If he moved his king into the corner, the castle would get him. If he moved it up one space, the horse could get him. If he moved back to the position he was in before, the bishop would get him. 

“I concede,” Phil smiled and started to pick up the board. Jarvis didn’t seem to interested in going another round, despite glowing over his victory.

“Not that you had a choice,” Jarvis glanced over to Bruce and Tony, both of whom were squealing and chasing each other, tackling each other into the water and splashing. Jarvis felt a tug at his non-existent heart and was startled. What was that human emotion in his metaphorical brain? Why was he _feeling_. It was odd, Jarvis thought. He knew he experienced emotions to a degree, but not this kind of emotion. This kind of emotion was deeper than the surface. And it wasn’t bad, Jarvis decided, but it wasn’t good either. _Envy,_ a voice supplied. He must have read up on it earlier. Envy. It was an odd word. And he wasn’t envious. Bruce and Tony were having fun…but without him. 

It hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, I wrote a summary for this chapter. I think I'm going to start doing that from now on. What do you think? And don't forget to leave a review if you have a question/comment/complaint or just a kudos ^_^

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it and I hope you leave some feedback ;)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Boys Just Wanna Have Fun](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1856404) by [CatChan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatChan/pseuds/CatChan)




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